8C4*J<S 


THE  LIBRARIES 


Bequest  of 

Frederic  Bancroft 

1860-1945 


Eld.  John  Ellis. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY 


AND 


POEMS 


OF 


Eld.  JOHN  ELLIS, 


TRAVELING  MINISTER  OF  THE 

LORD  JESUS  CHRIST 
FOR  OVER    SIXTY-ONE    YEARS. 


The  last  xnn(]  Is  fini^Jn'd,  flie  laxf  si'rmon   preached , 

The  Jaxt   n-oDiiiif/  '/iven,  the  la^t    mlle-stoue  re-tejiej, 

And  Ihe    irearif  pil(jriiii   restclh. 

—C.  T).  E. 


RKICE  :-=CLOTH,    Sl.OO;     PAPER     COVER,     50    CENTS, 


Sl'RINGFIELD,    OHIO: 
IMilCSS    OF    THE    NEW    ERA    CO.Ml'A.NV, 

::  1895.    :: 


gl^^icittion* 


To  all  persons,  old  or  yoiin<2^,  in  the  East,  West,  North  or  .South,  who 
have  been  helped  heavenward  by  the  sin^^ing,  praying-,  preaching 
or  social  converse  of  my  deceased  husljand,  the  following  pages, 
from    his  autobiography,  are   dedicated   by 

C.  D.  Ellis. 


00 

in 
cr> 

■r— 

am 


INTRODUCTION. 


IT  is  nntural  for  men  when  seeking;  otlice,  or  when  ])uhlishin<r  a  hook,  to 
say  that  they  appear  hefore  thepiihlie  at  the  uroxMit  request  of  many 
triends,  which,  l)v  the  by,  is  sometimes  /;v/r  and  sometimes  not .  This, 
in  my  ease,  iiowe\er,  is  true,  for  1  have  frecjuently  been  requested  and 
even  urged  to  let  my  imperfectly  written  autoliio^raphy,  accompanied  by 
a  few  of   my  poems,  ap])ear  in  book  form. 

I)Ut  thus  far  I  ha\e  refused,  for  two  reasons:  First — 1  have  but 
little  coniidence  in  m\self  as  a  writer.  Second — It  looks  egotistic  to  me 
for  persons  to  be  speaking-  or  writing-  things  concerninu^  themselyes.  But  I 
haye  tinallv  consented  to  send  out  a  brief  histor\'  of  my  past  life,  accom- 
panied with  selections  from  my  poetical  writings,  hopinuj  that  it  may 
interest  some  and  lead  them  to  seek  for  a  hij^her  life. 

II  any  teel  to  condemn  me  for  it  or  wish  to  criticise  either  me  or  the 
production,  they  have  a  perfect  ri^ht  to  do  so.  I  only  object  to  what  is 
commonly  called  ^j'/tr-criticism.  The   Author. 


CHAPTER  I. 

MY   BIRTIi,  PARKNTAGK  AND   EARLY    LIFE. 

LIKE  most  autohioijjniphers,  "  J  was  Ijorn  ol  respectable  parents, 
lliouy-h  poor."  The  immortal  ^Fopsy  "never  was  born,  had  no 
parents,  no  notliini^,  'specked  she  sj^rowed,''  but  not  so  in  my  case,  tor  I 
had  eartlily  parents  and  commenced  breathing-  on  the  26th  of  August, 
1812,  and  ha\e  been  at  it  ever  since.  I  was  l)orn  on  the  banks  of  the 
beautiful  Hudson,  in  Albany  countv.  New  ^'ork.  My  father  was 
vVugustus  Ellis,  son  of  Daniel  Ellis,  of  Revolutionary  memory,  and  was 
in  the  battle  of  Bennington,  Vermont,  and  other  engagements  during  the 
war.  He  had  two  brothers,  one  located  in  Pennsyhania  and  the  other 
in  Ohio.  My  mother's  name  w^as  Joana,  onlv  daugiiter  of  Zejiiianiah 
and  Lucy  Miller,  of  Holland  T^utch  extraction. 

When  about  three  years  oUl  our  people  moved,  with  a  number  of 
other  families,  to  Cortland  countv,  New  York.  We,  like  most  of  the 
settlers,  lived  in  a  log  calun  which  we  called  "  the  mansion  of  the 
woods."  ()ur  house  was  comfortable  and  had  plenty  of  ventilation  and 
we  all  enjoyed  it.  I  ilistinctK'  recollect  seeing  droves  of  nimble  deer 
])ass  and  repass  in  day  time  and  ot  hearing  the  bowlings  ot"  sa\age 
wolves  at  night,  and  sometimes  was  to  be  seen  the  shaggy  bear  passing 
bv,  in  his  awkward  gait,  hunting  some  imjirotected  sheep-fold  or  pig- 
sty. And  1  remember  the  excitement  that  followed  as  men,  boys,  dogs 
and  guns  turned  out  to  give  Bruin  a  chase,  which  generally  resulted  in 
the  ca]iture  of  the  t)ear  and  the  wounding  of  some  of  the  tlogs.  A 
neighboring  woman,  in  the  absence  ot  the  men,  shot  a  bear  and  had 
meat  enough  to  sup]>ly  the  table  tor  a  long  time. 

I  was  delighted  in  those  (lavs  with  almost  e\c-r\thing  J  saw  and 
beard  and  bad  but  tew  sad  hours.  1  was  blessed  with  a  cheerful  dispo- 
sition and  inclined  to  look  on  the  bright  sick-  ol  things  and  it  remains 
with  me  until  this  day.      I  took  great  delight  in  \isiting  the    sugar   camp 


8  AUTOniOORAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS. 

in  the  spring  and  tlie  hay  held  in  the  summer,  and  the  snow  and  ice 
brought  much  pleasure  during  the  winter.  In  the  autumn  I  was  busy 
gathering  nuts,  especially  the  beech  nut,  whicli  was  found  in  great 
abundance.  I  enjoyed  the  birds  in  sinnnier  much  and  never  killed  one  in 
mv  life.  I  early  obtained  a  pocket  knife  and  commenced  whittling  my 
way  through  this  world.  I  do  not  know  that  I  possess  much  mechanical 
skill,  but  1  made  almost  everything  I  saw,  and  even  made  a  ''  perpetual 
motion,"  all  but  the  motion.  It  was  as  good  as  any  one  has  since  made 
or  probably  ever  will,  for  thus  far  they  have  been  perpetual  faihires. 

WHISKY,    BEER,    CIDER    AND    TOBACCO. 

It  was  fashionable  in  my  earlier  life  for  everybody  nearly  to  use 
these  drinks  and  chew  and  smoke  tobacco,  but  I  was  a  little  eccentric, 
naturally,  and  took  pride  in  being  so,  therefore  I  rejected  all  of  these 
things,  so  mv  eccentricities  did  me  that  much  good.  At  one  time  I 
thought  that  tobacco  might  assist  in  making  a  man  of  me,  but  upon  due 
reflection  I  could  see  nothing  \n  it  manly,  so  I  gave  it  a  wide  berth.  I 
then  formed  the  determination  that  instead  of  paying  out  money  for  this 
expensive  and  injurious  weed,  I  would  spend  it  for  books  and  soon  had 
quite  a  library. 

I  signed  the  first  temperance  pledge  I  came  to  and  have  signed  every 
one  oiYered  to  me  since,  not  only  for  my  own  good,  but  throwing  my  in- 
iluence  on  the  right  side.  I  am,  and  always  have  been,  a  straight  out 
and  out  temperance  man,  and  if  vou  call  talking,  singing,  praying  and 
voting  for  the  prohibition  of  saloons  in  our  fair  hind,  makes  a  crank,  I 
am  one,  but  I  call  it  the  dictates  of  good,  sober  sense,  and  where  every 
Christian  should  stand.  If  I  am  a  crank  the  angel  seen  by  the  Revelator 
was  one,  for  John  saw  him  coming  down  from  Heaven  with  a  great 
chain  in  liis  hand,  and  saw  him  lay  hold  of  tiieold  serpent — the  de\'il — and 
bind  him  with  the  chain  and  cast  him  into  tlie  l)ottomless  pit  to  remain 
at  least  a  thousand  years.  vSo  after  trying  prohibition  for  that  length  ol 
time,  if  it  does  not  work  well,  w^e  will  try  some  other  plan.  1  am,  and 
have  been  all  my  life,  opposed  to  high  license,  low  license  or  free 
whisky. 

OUR    SUNDAY    SCHOOL. 

Our  neighbors,  at  least  the  most  enlightened  ones,  thought  best  to 
organize  a  Sunday  school  in  our  rural   neighborhood,   but  some   opposed 


AUTORIOGKAPHV    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS.  9 

it.  One  man  thou<rIit  it  would  bias  the  minds  of  the  children  before 
tiiev  were  old  enoui>'h  to  choose  for  themseKes.  One  preacher  said  he'd 
rather  his'children  would  ^o  a  lishino-  than  to  Sunday  school-  anil  they 
showed  this  t(.'achino-,  tor  a  worse  set  of  boys  were  not  to  be  lound  in  all 
the  neiu,"hb()rhood. 

One  younjj^  lad  when  asked  to  <ro  said  he  thouijht  it  was  for  c///7(/Vrw, 
strokincf  a  little  fuz  on  his  upper  lip;  "Tm  a  man,"  but  the  school  was  or- 
irani/.ed  all  the  same  and  went  into  successful  operation.  \\'e  liatl  no 
U'sson  leaves  or  pa])ers,  cartls  or  sinj^ini;-  books;  nevertheless  we  made  it 
o(),  and  it  did  threat  Ljootl  in  those  times. 

A    FAITHFUL    TEACHER. 

A  voun^,  pious  ij^irl,  but  inclined  to  consumption,  came  to  the 
superintenilent  and  asked  for  a  class.  She  felt  anxious  to  do  some  work 
for  the  Master  before  tj^oin<)^  to  her  other  home.  He  told  her  the  classes 
were  all  supplied  with  teachers,  but  there  was  a  seat  over  there  unoccu- 
pied ;  that  if  she  could  till  it  with  scholars  she  mitJ^ht  teach  them.  So, 
frail  as  she  was,  she  went  out  into  back  lanes  and  by  paths  and  o^ot  five 
little  l)ovs,  mv  little  brother  and  nnself  were  amontr  the  numl:)er,  and 
brouyht  them  next  Lords  dav  and  became  their  teacher.  She  had  a 
peculiar  <rift  for  teachino-  children  and  impressed  upon  our  youn^^  hearts 
the  truths  of  the  (lospel.  She  was  so  faithful  and  kind  that  we  lo\-ed 
her  and  inclined  to  belie\e  what  she  said.  Her  health  continued  to  fail 
and  she  (^rew  weaker  all  the  time  until  finally  she  passed  to  her  rest  in 
the  ti^rave.  We  joined  the  procession  that  followed  her  remains  to  the 
^rave,  but  her  pure  spirit  was  in  its  .home  in  Heaven.  Amon<r  those 
lollowinu;  her  to  the  <rra\e  as  mourners,  none  were  more  truly  so  tlian 
those  ii\-e  little  l)()ys  that  she  had  picked  up  and  placed  in  the  .Sunday 
school. 

\  ears  passed  on  ami  others  taut^ht  our  class,  but  none  seemed  to  till 
the  place  in  our  little  hearts  like  our  an<rel  teacher  who  had  left  us.  In 
the  course  ol  a  lew  years  there  was  quite  a  rexival  of  religion  in  that 
])lace  anil  fo2i7-  of  those  boys  w^ere  brouglit  to  Christ,  ilatint;-  their  con- 
\ersioii  in  a  threat  measure  to  the  faithful  labors  of  that  earnest  teacher. 
And  in  process  of  time  tJirec  of  those  boys  became  ministers  of  the  gos- 
pel. Two  of  them  are  still  li\ing — m\-  brother.  Key.  Z.  M.  Ellis,  of 
Iowa,  and  the  writer. 


lO  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS. 

In  conclusion  I  would  say  that  our   loved   teacher    was    very    modest 

and  retiring-.  liardK'  dared  to  call  herself   a  Christian,  and  yet  see  what    a 

good  work  she  did  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  <^f   <rtory.       What  a  wave  for 

good  she  set  in  motion    which    is   still    going    on   and    will    until   the    last 

sands  of  time  shall  have  passed  away. 

■■  Foot  prints  in  the  sands  of  time,  vvliieh  surely  will  reniiiin,' 
Which  some  sad  and  lonely  brother  seeing,  may  take  heart  again." 

A    DIFFERENT    TEACHER. 

An  egotistic,  fojipish  law>er  from  Cortlanil  village  took  charge  of  our 
class  one  Lord's  Day.  Our  lesson  thai  day  was  on  John  the  Baptist,  so 
in  asking  us  (piestions  on  the  lesson  he  asked  how  old  he  was  when  lie 
began  to  talk.  No  child  in  the  class  coidd  answer  the  (juestion,  which 
seemed  to  astonisli  tlie  legal  gentleman.  Then  he  told  us  he  was  just  eight 
tlays  old.  Then  in  turn  we  \vere  very  much  astonished,  for  we  had  never 
heard  of  a  haby  (piite  so  smart  as  that,  and  I  thiids.  he  saw  me  shaking 
my  head,  for  he  looked  at  me,  saying  :  "  John,  don't  you  l)elieve  it?"  I 
answxM-ed  rather  bashfully  that  1  had  never  heard  of  a  babv  talking  at 
eight  days  old.  At  this  he  replied  and  (jiu)ted  the  text  in  regard 
to  the  tongue  Ijeing  loosed  and  he  began  to  talk  and  praise  the  Lord. 
1  told  him  1  understood  it  to  refer  to  John's  father,  who  had  l)een  dumb 
ever  since  he  doubted  the  annoimcement  of  the  angel.  After  stopping 
and  re-reading  ami  thinking  awhile,  he  said:  'AWdl.  child,  you  are 
right  and  I  was  wrong,  for  1  see  that  it  was  the  tongue  of  Zachariah,  his 
father,  instead  of  the  young  child. ""  1  left  the  school  in  ecstacies  that 
day  under  the  impression  that  I  had  whipped  out  a  lawyer. 

INIY    EARLY    EDUCATION. 

My  o]:)portunities  for  an  education  were  quite  limited,  as  my  father 
Avas  a  poor  man  and  I  the  eldest  son,  so  I  had  to  remain  at  home  and 
work  when  I  ought  to  have  l)een  in  school,  yet  I  went  to  school  some  un- 
til ele\en  years  of  age,  and  suppose  I  learned  as  fast  as  most  boys  of  my 
age.  The  old  fashioned  log  .school  house  \\'\\\\  slab  seats  and  oiled  paper 
windows  still  linger  in  my  memory  as  something  sacred,  and  will,  I  pre- 
sume, iluring  life.  Hut  I  gradiuited  at  eleven  years  of  age  and  have  not 
attended  school  since,  although  I  have  gatliered  cpiite  a  fund  of  knowl- 
edge during  life  that  has  enabletl  me  to  do  my  life  work  better  than  I 
otherwise  could  have  done. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDEH    JOfIN     EI.LIS.  II 

As  to  orthography,  I  never  was  a  good  speller,  for  there  is  no  com- 
mon sense  in  spelling  anywav.  It  is  a  gilt  <y\  nature  that  1  ne\er  pos- 
sessed, for  it  is  \erv  hard  to  reniemher  whether  it  is  ie,  or  ei,  or  ant  or 
ent,  or  sion  or  cion,  or  tion.  These  are  ahstraet  etVorts  of  the  memory. 
My  chirograpln  is  also  rather  poor,  although  I  ha\e  written  (|uite  a  good 
deal  during  life.  I  helievc  1  am  right  in  iashion,  for  it  is  tiie  practice 
among  lawyers,  jiulges,  doctors  and  husiness  men  generally,  I  think,  to 
write  so  that  hut  few  can  read  it.  It  is  s;iid  that  Horace  Greeley  could 
hardly  read  his  own  writing.  And  I  rememher  while  editing  and  puh- 
lishing  the  Gospel  Herald,  in  Da)  ton,  ().,  ihu-ing  the  sixties,  I  recei\ed 
an  article  from  E.  W.  Iliunphreys  that  1  couUl  not  make  out  what  it 
was.  so  I  folded  it  up  and  wrote  a  note  for  him  to  write  it  plainer  so 
that  1  could  reatl  it,  l)ut  he  could  not  rt-ad  what  I  had  written.  WMien  we 
met  afterwards  it  seemed  rather  a  funn\'  circumstance  in  hoth  our  liyes. 
But  every  one  should  correct  himself  in  this  matter  and  write  a  plain, 
legible  iiand. 

I  have  ne\er  considered  m\'  education  linished,  and  am  now  anxious, 
at  about  eighty  years,  as  ever,  to  go  on  learning  more.  I  cannot  learn  as 
easily  as  formerly,  for  my  memory  is  not  as  retentixe  as  it  used  to  be,  yet 
1  retain  what  1  learn  remarkably  well  tor  one  ot  my  age.  I  can  remem- 
ber the  important  jioints  in  a  lecture  or  sermon  anil  can  repeat  them 
weeks  afterward,  if  called  on  for  them. 

Names  were  always  diihcult  for  me  to  remember,  but  countenances 
and  locations  I  rememlier  well.  It  is  said  that  John  (.^uincy  Achims  liad 
such  a  remarkable  memory  that  after  l)eing  introduced  to  a  large  party 
of  persons  he  could  call  each  one  by  his  namt-  chn-ing  his  stay  among 
them.  My  wife  also  has  a  wonderful  memor\'  of  names.  We  ha\'e 
called  Irecpiently  among  strangers  and  perhaps  sta\-  o\er  night  and  be- 
fore leasing  she  would  know  the  name  of  each  child  to  the  ninnber  of 
tiye  or  six,  and  after  a  \ear  or  so  return,  and  she  would  still  remember 
these  chilibx-n's  names. 

MY    FATHEH     AND     MOTHER. 

But  to  return  to  \\\\  narratixe.  1  was  about  to  say  my  parents  \\ere 
the  embo(bment  of  goodness  ;ind  truth  to  me,  iind  they  were  the  end  of 
the  gospel  tome;  whate\'er  else  1  doubted  1  did  not  doubt  what  they 
said.      They  talked  to  me  of  God,  Christ  Jesus  and  the  Holy  Spirit  ;    also 


12  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN      ELLIS. 

of  our  beautiful  lioiiu'  in  Heaven  and  1  belie\cil  it  all.  TIk-'V  said  noth- 
int^  about  Trinity,  for  it  is  not  found  in  the  Bilde,  nor  total  depravity,  or 
\  icarious  atonement,  or  particular  election  or  anv  of  that  kind  ot 
"  jargon,"  and  hence  I  knew  nothing'  af)out  those  creed  doctrines  and 
care  nothing  about  thein  now.  They  taught  me  Bible  doctrine  in  Bible 
language,  and  at  my  advanced  age  I  wish  not  to  depart  from  the  sim- 
plicity of  the  teachings  of  the  blessed  word  of  life,  that  is  al)le  to  make 
us  wise  unto  salvation.  Blessed  Bible!  Ho\v  I  love  it.  My  father 
was  a  blacksmith  and  never  refused  to  work  for  any  man  whether  he 
paid  him  or  not,  and  in  this  way  lost  hundreds  of  dollars,  yet  he  was 
particular  to  pay  his  debts  to  the  last  cent.  His  earthly  remains  cjuietly 
sleep  in  a  rural  cemetery  at  Enlield,  New  York. 

MY    BROTHERS    AND    SISTERS. 

There  were  seven  children  in  my  father's  family  who  grew  to 
manhood,  four  sons  and  three  daughters.  Three  of  the  sons  early 
entered  the  Christian  ministry  and  two  of  them  are  in  it  still. 
Five  of  them  have  taught  school,  and  all  of  them,  early  in  life,  became 
active  members  of  tlie  Christians.  I  do  not  think  that  one  of  them  ever 
drank,  or  swore  a  profane  oath,  had  a  light,  or  a  law  suit,  or  did  a  dis- 
graceful thing  in  life,  and  I  attril)ute  it,  in  a  great  measure,  to  the  influ- 
ence of  their  parents'  religious  instruction.  Have  I  not  reason  for  being 
thankful  for  such  pious  parents  and  good  brothers  and  sisters.^  It  may 
look  vain  to  some  for  me  to  speak  so  highly  of  my  parents  and  my 
brothers  and  sisters,  l)ut  I  do  it  for  two  reasons  :  First  —  I  think  it  is 
honestly  their  due  and  are  as  good,  if  not  better  than  I  have  said. 
Second — I  wish  to  show  how  much  good  modest,  Christian  parents  can 
do  in  this  world  if  they  have  strong  faith  in  God,  in  Christ,  in  the  Bible 
and  Christian  eff<jrt. 

We  had  neighbors  who  succeeded  in  getting  this  world's  goods 
much  better  than  our  family  and  \vere  able  to. give  their  children  a  better 
education  and  start  in  life  than  we  had,  and  yet  I  do  not  remember  one 
family  whose  children  turned  out  better  than  the  children  of  our  parents, 
poor  as  they  were.  ' 

THE    DEATH    OF    MY    MOTHER. 

About  the  time  I  left  school  my  mother  was  called  away  from  the 
sorrows  of  earth,  and  her  four  children,  to    better   scenes    beyond.      This 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS.  13 

was  a  severe  trial  to  us  all.  It  was  a  coKl  ilay  in  December  when  we 
looked  upon  her  face  for  the  last  time  and  laid  the  body  aw^ay  to  rest  un- 
til called  to  arise.  We  returned  in  sailness  to  our  desolate  home,  won- 
deriniif  who  would  care  for  us  now.  But  as  (jod  notices  the  fallintr  spar- 
row and  fei-deth  the  youn^-  ravens  when  they  crv,  so  His  tender  care  has 
been  over  us  mitil  the  [)resent  time.  I  often  visited  the  ^rave,  and 
sometimes  almost  wished  1  was  sleeping  beside  her.  And  when  about 
to  leave  my  home  antl  native  land  and  go  among  strangers  in  a  distant 
State,  I  said  : 

"  Sleep,  dear  mother,  peaceful  be  thy  rest, 

And  while  the  turfy  sod  sliall  ilourish  on  thy  breast, 

]May  naught  disttu-1)  tliy  peaceful,  hallowed  sleep 

And  angels  thy  sacred  ashes  keep, 

Till  time's  last  trumj)  shall  bid  thy  ashes  rise, 

Leap  into  life  and  seize  the  ininiortal  prize." 

In  after  years  I  wrote  a  hymn,  a  tribute  to  her  memory,  tliat  1  often 
sing,  and  it  will  l)e  found  in  its  place  among  my  poems  in  this  little  vol- 
ume. The  religious  inlluence  of  my  mother  had  much  to  do  in  mould- 
ing my  early  character  and  winning  me  to  the  Savior.  In  after  years 
we  had  a  stepmother,  w  ho  tilled  the  place  of  my  mother  very  well  and 
bore  four  children  to  our  father;  all  are  living  l)ut  the  youngest,  Augus- 
tus. But  the  stepmother  sleeps  as  the  mother,  in  the  silence  of  the 
tomb,  and  may  we  meet  both  in  the  land  of  rest. 


14  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS. 


CHAPTER  11. 

CONVERSION    AND    CALL    TO    THE    MINISTRY. 

About  the  time  I  \vas  nineteen  years  of  age  I  found  myself  an  alien 
from  (iod  by  wicked  works,  and  without  a  hope  and  a  Sa\'ior  in  this 
world.  So  partly  from  the  recollections  of  my  mother's  teachings  and 
the  influence  of  my  vSunday  school  teacher  spoken  of  in  a  former  chapter, 
I  ^vas  induced  to  seek  salvation  through  Christ's  name.  I  did  not  wish  a 
spasmodic  kind  of  religion,  quite  common  in  that  day,  but  I  did  wish  a 
pure  and  undetiled  kind,  which  purified  the  heart,  reformed  the  life  and 
made  good  men  and  women.  Somehow  1  got  the  impression  that  our 
Father  above  wished  us  to  act  just  as  rational  in  religious  matters  as  in  any- 
thing else  ;  so  1  sought  the  Lord  earnestly  in  the  way  He  had  marked  out 
and  found  Him  to  the  joy  of  my  poor  heart,  and  have  been  glad  of  it  ever 
since.  And  the  greatest  evidence  I  had  then,  or  have  ever  had  since,  of  my 
acceptance  with  Christ,  was  1  loved  the  Lord  and  loved  His  people,  and 
was  willing  to  bear  the  cross  and  obey  all  His  commandments  to  the  best  of 
my  ability.  1  immediately  took  up  the  cross  and  began  work  in  my 
Master's  name  and  have  been  at  it  ever  since,  and  expect  to  be  faithful 
until  death,  that  1  may  receive  a  crow^n  of  life.  Many  have  doubted 
their  conversion,  but  I  was  not  troubled  much  in  that  way.  for  1  was  so 
intent  on  serving  Cod  and  doing  my  duty  that  1  had  not  nnich  time  for 
doubt  and  perplexity  in  that  way. 

xVfter  my  conversion  1  commenced  an  active  Christian  life  and  im- 
pro\'ed  what  little  talent  I  possessed  in  praying,  singing  and  speaking 
both  in  public  and  private.  In  the  course  of  a  few  months  1  united  with 
the  Christians  and  went  forward  in  the  beautiful  ordinance  of  baptism. 
A  lovely  stream  wound  its  way  thnjugh  meadow  and  woodland,  form- 
ing many  little  eddies  or  ponds,  as  thev  were  called,  and  in  one  of 
these  1  went  down  with  the  man  of  (jod,  and  was  l)uried  beneath  the 
yielding  wave.      It  was  a  beautiful   morning    and  all  nature    smiling    and 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER   JOHN     ELLIS.  I5 

flowers  were  hlooinino-  and  birds  sin<>Mii<j^,  while  I  almost  iinaifined  I 
could  hear  a  xoice  saying  :  "  "Phis  is  inv  hcloNetl  Son  in  whom  1  am  well 
pleased."  I  knew  hut  little  about  baptism,  l)ut  thought  it  was  a  eom- 
mand  of  Christ  and  ought  to  be  ol)eved,  whik'  lie  liad  l)een  ba])ti/AHl 
Ilimst'ir  to  M't  us  an  example.  Someeallcd  it  a  (h)or  into  the  church, 
others  that  it  was  for  the  ri'mission  of  sins,  designeil  to  change  our  state, 
a  kind  of  a  linishing  uji  of  a  Cln"istian;  others  thought  it  was  in  place 
of  circumcision  ;  but  1  did  not  listen  to  these  conflicting  ()[)inions,  feel- 
ing uu)re  interest  in  the  substantial,  the  real,  than  in  the  iiguratixe  or  * 
shadowy.  Isaiah  sj)eaks  of  the  new  moons  and  solenni  leasts,  their 
sanctimonious  rituals,  as  l)eing  an  abomination  to  the  Loril,  and  exhorts 
them  to  put  ,;\\a.v  the  e\ils  of  their  doings,  reliexe  the  o])|)ressed,  plead 
for  the  willow  and  fatherless,  and  this  is  the  gospel  1  lilied  then,  and  do  now. 
I  was  brought  up  under  the  inlluence  of  three  ilenominations  Method- 
ist, Baptist  and  Presbyterians,  and  some  (^hiakers  also.  Total  elepraxily, 
trinity,  election  and  reprobation,  and  free  salvation  were  the  connnon 
topics  in  preaching  in  those  days.  1  belie\eil  in  jesus,  the  Messiah,  and 
free  sahation,  rejecting  the  other  doctrines.  Ilow  three  co-ecpial  and 
co-eternal  persons  couUl  be  otie  God  I  coukl  ne\er  see,  but  belie\ed  with 
Paid  :  "  Put  to  us,  there  is  but  oiic  (iod  tlie  leather,  and  one  Lord  Jesus 
Clirist,"  tile  son  of  this  one  (jotl.  Paul  sa^s  again  :  •'  One  (lod  aiul 
one  Mediatoi-  between  (jod  and  man."  This  coxered  all  of  my  theology- 
so  lar  as  the  l'\ither  anil  Son  \yere  concerned  and  the  Holy  Spirit  which 
emanated  from  these  two.  1  ne\'er  belieyed  that  Christ  was  merely  a 
man,  l)ut  far  abo\e  men  lu'  angels,  the  only  begotten  son  of  God,  the 
brightness  of  t  he  Fat  her's  glory  and  the  express  image  of  Ilis  person. 
1  confini'd  m\-  language  to  the  Pible  expression  —  Father,  Son  anil  liol\' 
Spirit,  beliexingthat  it  was  uuich  better  than  to  use  the  uinueaning 
words  of  Ashdod. 

As  to  total  depra\il\',  1  could  not  see  how  a  |)erson  could  come  info 
the  world  just  as  bad  as  he  could  be  (totally  ilepra\ed)  and  then  grow- 
worse  and  worse  as  long  as  he  ti\ed  ;  so  I  let  that  pass.  I  was  often 
told  that  we  were  siiniers  •!)>'  nature  ami  uuich  uu)re  by  practice.  1 
could  see  thv  practice  ])art  without  glasses,  but  how  one  could  be  a  sin- 
ner by  nature,  as  sin  is  an  act  of  disobedience,  1  could  not  see.  As  sin 
is  doing  wrong  on  our  part,  it  follows  as  clear  as  a  demonstration  in 
Euclid    that  we  cannot    be  sinners    by    nature.      .Vlso  \ye    were    told    that 


l6  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDICU   JOHN     ELLIS. 

Adam's  sin  was  imputed  to  us.  This  must  i)e  a  false  charge.  To  im- 
pute is  to  charge,  and  to  charge  me  with  the  sin  of  some  one  else  is  a 
false  charge,  and  hence  imputed  sin  is  imputed  nonsense,  and  an  abso- 
lute impossibility. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  imputed  righteousness.  We  were  told  that 
Christ's  righteousness  was  imputed  to  His  saints,  but  John  says  :  "He 
that  doeth  righteousness  is  righteous,  even  as  Cjod  is  righteous." 
This  settles  this  matter,  and  teaches  that  every  one  must  be  righteous  for 
himself,  and  not  trust  to  the  righteous  doing  of  somebody  else.  We 
were  told  that  children  were  lost  except  the  elect.  Just  how  the  merits 
of  Christ  could  be  applied  to  children,  in  infancy,  nobody  knows  or  ever 
will  know.  Christ  says  :  "  Except  ye  become  as  little  children  ye  can- 
not enter  into  His  kingdom."  The  theologv  of  the  Bible  is  what  1  like, 
and  wish  no  other. 

So  when //^/5  people  came  along  calling  themselves  Christians,  just 
simply  Christians,  it  is  not  wonderful  that  I  united  with  them.  They 
took  the  Bible  for  their  guide  or  creed  and  told  us  it  was  an  all-sutlicient 
rule  of  faith  and  practice.  I  said  to  them  as  Ruth  said  to  Naomi  : 
"  Your  people  shall  be  my  people,  your  God  shall  be  my  God,  where 
you  live  I  wish  to  live,  and  where  you  die  I  wish  to  die,  and  there  be 
buried,"  and  I  have  never  regretted  the  choice  I  tlien  made.  They  let 
every  one  read  the  Bible  for  themselves,  and  Christian  character  was  the 
test  of  fellowship — the  union  of  all  Christians,  for  on  the  Bible  all  can 
unite — God  is  our  Father  and  we  are  all  brethren.  1  took  an  active  part 
in  social  meetings,  but  never  thought  of  becoming  a  minister.  And  yet, 
in  the  course  of  a  year,  I  commenced  holding  meetings  in  by-places 
where  the  people  were  destitute  of  religious  privileges.  I  met  with  some 
opposition  from  those  who  professed  to  belong  to'  Christ,  but  1  went 
right  along  and  the  Lord  was  with  me,  and  I  think  I  did  some  good. 


AUTOBIO(,K.\I'IIV    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  17 


CHAPTER  in. 

DEDICA  I'lOX      TO     THE     MINISTRY. 

During  llic  two  years  of  my  early  life  I  did  not  eonsider  myself  a 
iiiiniNter.  but  xyorked  at  my  trade  and  held  meetin<i;s  as  best  1  could. 

A     GENERAL     MEETING. 

In  August  of  that  year  tiie  Christians,  \yhich  people  I  had  joined, 
held  what  they  called  a  "  s^eneral  meeting,"  t\y()  ilays  before  the  session 
of  the  New  York  Central  Christian  Ct)nference.  at  West  (iroton,  about 
twenty  miles  from  my  home.  Feeling  yery  anxious  to  attend  it,  1  took 
]:)assage  on  "  walker's  line  ''  and  reached  it  about  noon.  1  was  delighted 
with  the  meeting  in  the  afternoon  and  felt  yery  much  encouraged  while 
listening  to  the  warm  testimonies  (^f  preacher  anil  people,  but  I  was  too 
bashful  to  say  anything  myself.  When  the  meeting  closed  that  day  they 
all  flocked  together,  exchanging  warm  greetings  and  shaking  hands. 
Soon  all  left  the  church,  and  also  left  the  bashful  boy  standing  out  at  the 
corner  of  the  church,  all  alone.  Hut  I  lingered  about  for  some  time, 
reading  my  Testament,  which  was  my  companion  in  those  days.  Later,  I 
cast  about  where  I  shoidd  spend  the  night,  so  I  espied  a  barn,  near  by, 
and  there,  among  the  new  hay,  1  rested  sweetly  all  night.  The  evening 
meeting,  before  J  slept,  was  ]:)owerfid.  A  large  audience  out,  and  D. 
Millartl  preached  one  of  his  most  interesting  sermons.  The  youthful 
Seth  Marvin  then  gave  a  soul  stirring  exhortation,  that  I  couUl  hardly 
tell  whether  I  was  in  the  body  or  out  of  it.  liut  needing  rest,  1  found  I 
was  really  in  the  body.  But,  the  next  morning,  the  story  got  out  that  I 
had  sle]}t  in  a  barn,  after  walking  tuenty  miles  to  meeting.  ()ue  of  the 
preachers,  the  next  day,  right  in  his  sermon,  said  the  Christians  were  a 
zealous  people,  and  to  prove  it  he  told  them  there  was  a  boy  present  so 
zealous  that  he  had  walked  twenty  miles  to  attend  that  meeting,  and 
then  slept  in  a  barn.  ^rhis  gave  me  some  notoriety,  and  at  recess  many 
of  them  wanted  to  shake  hands   wdth  that  brave  boy,  and  I  got  plenty  of 


iS  AUTOBIOGRAIMIY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

invitations  to  their  honies,  after  that.  The  next  dav,  Monday,  the  con- 
ference convened,  and  beg-an  its  work  in  good  earnest.  During  its 
sessions,  I  was  received  as  a  licentiate,  and  a  license  given  me,  to  im- 
prove my  gift<  although  I  was  bashful,  awkward,  and  did  not  make  a 
good  impression  on  many  of  them,  and.  vet,  they  gave  me  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship  as  a  worker  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  The  story  of  the 
long  walk  and  night's  rest  in  a  barn  may  have  induced  them  to  be  thus 
kind  to  me.  I  suppose  they  thought  such  ^'VvV  and  Dinsclc  would  help 
me  in  mv  work,  and  it  has,  for  how  very  often  I  have  needed  both. 
Those  dear  brethren  who  received  me  so  cordiallv  have  all  passed  from 
labor  to  reward  ;  and  I  am  still  working  for  the  Master,  and  willing,  if 
need  be,  to  walk  twenty  miles  to  meeting,  and  sleep  in  a  barn. 

A    SAD    EXPERIENCE. 

In    those    early    days  of    my   ministry,    another    young    man    of    the 
Methodist    Episcopal    Church     commenced    public    speaking.       Stephen 

was    older   than  1    \vas,  and    had    much    more    self-esteem,  but   he 

was  trickv,  yet  I  thought  much  of  him.  .Soon  he  was  arrested  for  pass- 
ing bad  money,  and  the  last  I  saw  of  him  he  ^vas  behind  prison  bars. 
He  tried  to  appear  cheerful  and  turn  it  off  as  a  joke,  but  I  could  see  that 
it  \vas  largely />//■/  ou.  He  said  he  might  have  passed  a  counterfeit  bill,  in 
his  ignorance,  but  felt  sure  he  would  get  clear  when  the  trial  came  off. 
But  he  did  not,  but  had  to  spend  three  years  in  State's  prison  for  his 
tricky  crime.  He  and  all  others  have  to  learn  that  the  way  of  the  trans- 
gressor is  hard — and  that,  all  through  life,  "  Honesty  is  the  best  and 
surest  policy." 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOIIX    ELLIS.  19 


CHAPTER   IV. 

LEAVING     HOME     AND    STARTING    OUT    IN     THE    FIELD. 

The  day  I  united  with  the  conference,  mentioned  before,  was  the 
36th  of  AuLfust,  1S3  :^,  tlie  day  I  was  twenty-one  years  of  age.  In  October, 
of  the  same  year,  1  laid  mv  hammer  on  the  anvil,  closed  up  my  work  in 
the  shop,  bade  farewell  to  friends  and  home,  and  started  for  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania.  I  had  a  horse,  saildle  and  bridle,  two  chan^^es  of  linen, 
a  decent  suit  of  clothes,  a  ne\v  overcoat,  boots  and  socks,  etc.,  and  three 
dollars  and  a  half  in  money.  1  also  had  a  (rood  constitution,  and  a  heart 
full  of  faith  and  i^ood  nature.  With  this  outfit,  I  started  off"  to  spend  my 
whole  time  and  energies  in  the  Master's  vineyard,  thinking  that  when  my 
clothes  needed  repairs  that  I  would  stop  awhile,  get  others,  and  then  go 
on,  but  I  have  never  stopped  vet.  The  first  day  I  went  as  far  as  Blodgets 
Mills,  twelve  miles,  ami  preached  there  the  next  day.  On  Monday,  I 
started  on  my  way.  and  stopped  over  night  with  Elder  William  Cum- 
mings,  near  Binghamton,  and  spoke  in  the  evening  to  a  few  of  the  peo- 
ple wdio  came  in.  At  the  close  of  my  talk  his  little  daughter  took  a 
saucer  and  got  a  collection  for  me  of  one  dollar  and  sixty-two  cents. 

Tuesday  morning  I  started  on  my  journey  and  reached  what  was 
then  called  Slocum  Hollow,  and  i/ozc  is  the  city  of  vScranton.  vStaid  there 
()\er  the  Lord's  day,  and  heard  a  man  by  the  name  of  Phillips  preach  a 
peculiar  sermon  on  the  good  Samaritan.  I  could  not  see  the  subject  in 
the  light  he  did;  and  as  I  was  asked  to  speak,  L  told  them  all  of  it.  The 
brother  did  not  like  it  ^ery  well,  but  the  congregation  seemed  inclined  to 
see  things  more  as  I  did.  Erom  there  I  went  to  Plymouth,  Huntsville, 
vSalem,  Berwick,  Eishing  Creek,  vStillwater,  Benton,  Greenwood,  Lime- 
stone, Muncie,  Loval  Lock,  Troy,  Williamsport,  Tvcvel  Corners,  Canton, 
East  vSmithfield.  and  manv  other  places,  haxing  good  meetings  in  every 
l^lace.  organizing  churches  all  through  the  land.  At  .Stillw^ater,  I  found 
four  families  bv  the  name  of  McIIenrv,  who  were  Scotch  Presbyterians, 
who,  on  hearing  the  gospel    preached  in    its    purity  and  untrammeled  l)y 


2^  AUTOBIOGKAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

the  creeds  of  men,  joined  the  Christian  Church.  And,  at  this  writing, 
over  fifty  years  afterward,  they  have  increased  to  twenty-seven  families, 
all  well  off,  and  nearly  all  members  of  the  Christian  Church.  I  preached, 
for  awhile,  at  Greenwood,  and  had  manv  interesting  meetings.  While 
preaching  there,  the  Methodists  liad  a  ciuarterly  meeting,  three  miles 
away,  so  1  took  up  mv  meeting  and  we  all  started  to  the  meeting,  but 
when  I  got  there  the  doors  were  closed  against  me,  and  when  urged  to  be 
let  in,  they  said  they  had  rules,  and  they  must  obey  them.  Seeing  the 
situation,  I  went  out  and  sat  under  a  tree,  and  commenced  reading  in  my 
Testament.  While  thus  engaged,  the  birds  were  singing  overhead,  and 
I  took  out  my  pencil,  and  wrote  the  little  poem  about  being  shut  out  of 
T^ove  Feast,  which  will  be  found  among  mv  songs.  Am  glad  to  sav  that 
the  old  custom  of  keeping  closed  doors  for  that  meeting  was  done  away 
with.  "  The  world  do  move  " — and  I  am  glad  to  note  the  signs  of  prog- 
ress in  our  religious  neighbors. 

A    " FOOL "    TEAM. 

Shortly  after  commencing  work  in  that  part  of  the  State,  two  other 
young  speakers  joined  me  in  proclaiming  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  a  dying 
world — namely,  J.  J.  Harvey  and  John  Sutton,  who  aided  me  much 
in  my  work.  We  enjoyed  manv  meetings  together,  and  saw  many  turn 
to  Christ,  and  seek  salvation.  vSometimes  we  went  each  in  different 
ways,  and  preached  in  barns,  school-houses,  orchards  and  sometimes  in 
the  open  streets,  and  sometimes  some  liberal  neighbor  would  let  us  into 
their  churches,  but  in  those  days  there  was  bitter  persecution,  for  fear 
something  would  be  preached  not  strictly  "  orthodox."  We  were  doing 
a  good  work,  and  why  they  should  call  us  heretics  I  could  not  tell — un- 
less it  was  because  we  preached  more  truth  than  was  found  in  thc'w  creeds 
—  and  souls  were  being  saved  all  along.  We  found  hosts  of  friends  among 
those  not  wed  to  creeds,  who  received  us  into  their  houses  and  treated  us 
kindl}'.  The  burden  of  our  preaching  was  Jesus  and  Him  crucified — one 
God,  one  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  one  Holy  Spirit,  one  creed  (the  Bible), 
one  faith,  one  hope,  one  baptism,  one  body  or  church,  and  all  should 
unite  and  work  together,  taking  the  one  name  C/irisiiaii.  We  also 
taught  that  all  had  the  right  of  private  judgment  in  matters  of  faith  and 
conscience — that  no  one  had  a  right  to  lord  it  over  God's  heritage,  for 
each    one    was   responsible   to  God    for   himself    and   nobody    else.      This 


Airc^iioci:  AiMr-s'   of    rlpki;    joirx    i:;.i,is.  21 

took  with  tlu'  pc()[)lr.  ;iiul  o-i\m1  luiiiihtTs  ilockcd  to  t  his  stniuliii-cl  of  i-hinvh 
lil)ertv.  Many  churches  whtc  or^-anizcd,  aiul  ha  [)t  i/.iIl^■  scasoii-i  were  fre- 
(|ueiit.  We  had  notices  of  our  work,  ami  one  of  tliest'  was  a  littk'  annis- 
in^-.  One  j^ood  hrotlier  said  he  was  pk'ased  with  our  preacliin(r  -  that 
l'>Kk'r  1  [ar\ev  was  an  elo([Uent  man.antl  Sutton  a  i;;oo(l  earnest  talker, 
antl  ni\'  sin^-in^"  ct)ulil  not  he  l)eaten — so  we  three  niatle  a  "  fool  team," 
which  he  meant  for  lull  lean/.  I  told  the  hoys,  Ilarxev  and  Sutton,  that 
likel\-  thev  were  flu'  team  ami  1  was  the  "  fool  ""  part.  Takino-  the 
l>il)le  tOr  our  rule  ol  lile,  ol  course  w c  used  l)il)le  lani^'uatj^e  in  express- 
ing; our  \iews.  and  this  took  w  ith  the  common  people,  for  thes'  could  ini- 
dcrstand  us. 

Notwithstandin<4  so  many  received  us  gladly,  \t't  some  people  were 
afraid  i.^^  us.  \\'e  tell  at  liherty  to  wx)rship  witli  all  t^ood  people,  and 
made  ourselves  at  home  wherever  they  would  hid  us  welcome.  I 
preached  much  in  Lew  ishurt;-,  and  also  spent  one  year  or  more  in  East 
.SmilhlieUl,  where  1  fathered  about  one  hundretl  into  the  fold  of  Christ, 
in  tlie  name  of  the  Lord.  Time  passed  on  in  this  tield  of  lal)or,  until 
about  ii\e  years  had  elapsed  since  I  lett  my  home.  It  is  not  my  intention 
now  to  give  a  connectetl  history  ot  my  lite  work,  I'rom  that  time  imtil 
the  jiresent,  for  it  would  m  ike  this  little  n  irratiw  teilious,  hut  simply  to 
ui\f  ;i  lew  sketches  of  m\  life  as  1  u,'o  alon<4-.  .Sixt\-  \ears  in  the  minis- 
tr\  ha\e  too  many  incidents  to  be  all  written  for  this  work,  so  I  shall 
leave  many  unwritten. 

TiiK   \yirrrE   pilgrim. 

In  tlie  fall  of  i^i^S,  niy  sister  Lucy,  oliler  than  myself,  ami  I  took  a 
journey  into  New  ^'ork  State  and  \ew  Jersey,  and  at  this  lime  I  stood 
at  the  fre'sh-maile  L;ra\  e  of  Joseph  Thomas  (While  Lili^rim).  who  hail 
died  of  smallpox  in  Johnsonburo',  New  Jerse\'.  This  is  the  Ir/rl//,  in  re- 
<jjard  to  the  only  piece  of  poetry  1  e\er  wrote  that  has  been  sun^-  around 
the  world.  And  many  have  tried  to  rob  me  ol  this  honor.  Many  limes 
in  my  tra\els  1  ha\e  fountl  people  sino-in<r  this  piece,  and  sometimes 
they  ha\e  told  me  of  this  one.  or  that  one,  who  was  its  author,  'i'his  has 
often  been  the  real  cause  of  I'xplainino-  :t'//(>  the  real  author  was.  ()nce 
while  comin*^  down  the  lake's,  on  a  steamer  witli  my  wife  and  children, 
and  an  old  lady  was  in  our  ]iarly,  who  knew  that  I  was  the  author,  we 
met  a  gentleman,    who  was   singing  this  song,  and    he  told  my    wife  that 


23  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OK    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

it  was  an  Indian  missionary  who  wrote  it.  My  wife  told  him  that  she 
had  seen  the  man  who  wrote  it,  Init  he  was  not  an  Indian,  but  looked 
some  like  one.  The  man  was  deiiu'liteil  to  see  a  person  who  liad  seen 
the  man  who  wrote  it.  This  was  more  tliat  mother  Tidd  (the  old  ladv 
spoken  of  before)  could  stand,  so  she,  pointing  to  me,  said,  "There  sits 
the  man  who  wrote  it.''  This  created  more  and  more  of  a  surprise,  for 
sitting  on  the  other  side  of  the  cabin  was  a  line  appearing  lady,  who 
spoke  up  with  much  assurance  that  she  could  not  be  correct,  for  her 
father  had  told  her  that  it  was  a  young  man  of  the  Christians  who  wrote 
it.  Then  it  was  time  for  me  to  say  something,  so  I  asked  her  what  her 
father's  name  was,  and  she  said  "  Elder  John  Case.''  ^Vell,  I  said,  "You 
are  correct,  for  your  father  gave  me  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  when  I 
was  admitted  into  mv  first  conference."  This  made  us  feel  at  home  with 
tliis  daughter  of  Elder  Case.  So  I  could  mention  many  more  cases,  some 
wliere  it  lias  been  piUjlished  and  a  name  attached  as  its  author.  But 
enough  of  this.  The  poem  will  be  found  in  this  little  l)()ok  among  other 
songs.  In  this  journe\-.  ^^  hen  1  wrote  the  White  I'ilgrim,  1  attended  a 
general  meeting  in  Laurens,  New  York,  where  I  first  met  Miss  Caroline 
Downing,  who  two  years  afterwards  became  my  wife.  On  leaving  this 
meeting,  I  left  an  appointment  to  come  l>ack  and  hold  a  New  Year's 
meeting  with  them.  After  iiolding  meetings  in  se\'eral  places,  I  went 
back  to  finish  up  my  work  in  Peinisvlvania,  my  first  field  of  labor. 


autoi5TO(;k  Ai'in    oi-"    eloek   John    iu.lis.  33 


CHAPTER   V. 

Ilavintr  closeil  up  iiiv  labors  in  Pennsylvania,  when  the  new  year  ol" 
1839  canu'  rouiul  it  t'ound  nu-  at  Laurens  ready  lor  the  nieetinjj;-  I  had 
promised  to  giye  them.  After  this  meetinu;,  I  was  ens^nu-cd  to  preacii  for 
them  that  year,  and  so  contituieil  from  year  to  year,  until  1  had  been 
there  four  years.  The  third  year  1  was  married  to  Caroline  Downing, 
of  Columbus,  Chenango  county,  New  York,  who  was  teaching  school  at 
the  time,  but  in  the  spring,  after  school  was  out,  we  commencetl  our 
home-life,  which  has  continued  (with  many  interruptions  by  my  absence 
from  home,  and  the  death  angel  has  visited  us  four  times)  until  we  have 
celebrated  our  golden  wedding.  During  my  stay  in  Laurens,  in  the  late 
autumn  of  '41,  Elder  Teal,  who  had  been  out  on  a  missionary  tour,  with- 
out much  success,  was  on  his  way  home  in  the  east,  but  felt  that  he  could 
not  bear  to  go  on  home  without  seeing  sinners  Hocking  to  Christ,  came 
here  and  wished  to  hold  a  meeting.  It  was  yery  muddy,  and  roads  in  a 
terrible  condition,  and  the  church  did  not  want  the  meeting,  neither  did 
1.  All  of  us  together  had  not  as  much  faith  as  one  Christian  ought  to 
haye.  But  his  great  desire  and  perseverance  won  the  day,  and  he  com- 
menced the  meeting,  and  the  Lord  blessed  his  labors  in  a  wonderful 
manner.  Seventy  souls  started  in  a  new  life,  and  1  had  the  joy  of  leading 
many  of  them  into  the  water,  and  burying  them,  in  likeness  of  our 
Master  as  He  lay  in  His  grave.  This  circumstance  proves  that  Chris- 
tians should    be  guided   measurably    by  the  vSpirit  of  (Jod   in   their  work. 

MV    OWN    FAMILY. 

Mrs.  C.  D.  Ellis,  the  companion  of  my  life,  is  a  woman  of  superior 
abilities,  naturally  and  peculiarly  fjualitied  in  many  respects  to  be  the 
wife  of  a  minister — tall  and  graceful  in  form,  benexolent  in  disposition, 
pli'asant  in  manner,  deeply  pious  and  very  conscientious.  Is  ardent  in 
her  temperament,  possessing  so  much  enterprise  and  activity  that  she  is 
often  found  among  radicals.  Her  education  is  better  than  mine,  so  she 
has  been  of  great  service  to  me  through  life.  .She  possesses  rare  talent 
for  public  speaking,  and  would  ha\e  made  a  first  class  lecturer  or 
preacher    had  she  applied    herself  to    it  when  young;    as  it  is,  she  gives  a 


24  AUTORIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    EI.LIS. 

good  lecture  on  temperance,  and  the  science  of  health — having  a  good, 
legally  signed  diploma  from  the  Medical  College  at  Florence,  New 
Jersey.  vSince  her  graduation,  she  has  practiced  in  Mattoon,  Illinois; 
Towanda  and  Topeka,  Kansas,  also  Shelbvxille,  Illinois,  and  lastly  in 
Yellow  Springs,  Ohio,  where  she  lived  when  she  received  an  injury  to 
her  spine,  and  later  still,  another  injury  on  the  cars,  which  have  crippled 
her  for  life  and  changed  her  form  and  appearance  very  much,  thus  mak- 
ing it  necessary  for  her  to  gi\'e  up  lier  practice  ;  since  \vhich  tinie  she 
has  been  much  in  the  lecture  field.  vShe  has  tra\eled  and  lectureil  \\  ith 
Dr.  Kellogg's  charts  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacitic  coast  twice,  and 
exhibited  them  to  many  thousand  children  besides  adults. 

OUR    CHILDREN. 

Of  the  six  children  given  us,  three  of  them  we  laitl  away  in  the 
dreamless  sleep  of  the  graye,  in  babyhood,  and  returned  to  our  home  in 
sadness.  Our  two  oldest  children  were  boys — Charles  R.  and  JMarshall 
D.  Ellis  -  and  just  two  years  and  one  month  between  their  births.  They 
were  as  unlike  as  two  brothers  ever  need  be,  and  yet  b(,)th  of  them 
possessed  real  good  qualities  of  heart  and  life.  Charles  was  of  a  lymphatic 
temperament,  while  Marshall  was  of  a  very  nervous  temperament,  owing  in 
some  measure  to  ha\ing  been  sick  through  most  of  his  childhood,  which' 
made  a  great  difference  in  what  they  said  and  did  in  life.  Charles  went 
into  the  army  at  eigiiteen,  and  Marshall  at  sixteen,  when  they  both  ought  to 
have  been  in  sciiool ;  so,  really,  they  did  not  luive  a  fair  start  in  life. 
Charles  was  \ery  serious  in  early  life,  and  had  we  encouraged  him  as  we 
ought  to  ha\e  done,  woulil  have  then  gi\en  himself  to  Christ.  While  in 
the  army  he  professed  Christ,  and  was  baptized  and  joined  the  I'ji'ion 
Church  they  had  in  the  army — then  sent  his  card  of  membership  to  his 
mother  at  Yellow  vSprings,  to  have  it  put  into  the  church  there,  with  his 
mothur  and  sister.  Marshall  passed  on  with  many  serious  feelings,  until 
two  years  after  the  war  was  over,  and  while  1  was  preaching  at  Winter- 
set,  Iowa,  came  there  to  yisit  me,  and  while  there  professed  faith  in 
Christ  and  was  baptized.  While  Charles  was  li\ing  with  his  family  near 
Enon,  and  going  there  to  clunxh,  he  was  elected  deacon  of  that  church, 
but  (jn  remoxingto  Yellow  Springs,  he  again  united  with  this  church  ami 
was  a  meml)er  in  good  standing,  w  hen  he  was  s/n/tlei/Iy  called  to  join 
the  church  triumphant,  April  29,  iSSo.  Our  last  chikl,  Alary,  was  dif- 
ferent from  both  her  brothers,  yet  possessing  some    traits   of   them  bot//  as 


AU'^ol?I()(;KAlMl^•   ok   elder  joirx   et.t.ts.  25 

well  as  of  both  Iut  iiaa-nts.  Wvv  three  sisters  haxiny;  died,  and  her 
brotliers  l)ein!4'  older,  this  iiiatle  her  a  oreal  />r7  with  us.  ."-^he  was 
thouo-litiul  and  ([uile  reliu;ious  early  in  lite  :  and  when  nine  \  ear^  of  age 
was  baptised  l)y  Elder  X.  Sinnnierl)ell.  in  tiie  Wabash  river,  at  Merom, 
Indiana,  at  her  own  re(|Uest.  She  anil  her  mother  were  attending;  tlie 
dedication  of  I'nion  Christian  Coileii^e — and,  before  goin^r,  slie  had  asked 
niv  consent  to  have  "  Tncle  vSinnnierl)ell,  "  as  she  called  him,  baptize  her 
— and  of  course  I  ua\e  my  consent  for  her  to  do  so. 

After  leaxino-  Laurens  we  spent  two  years  in  IMainiield,  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  ()tseo()  eount\  ,  tluring'  which  time  our  lirst  child  came  to  us 
— our  dear  Charlev,  w  ho  passed  away  from  us,  and  his  own  family,  sev- 
eral years  ao'o.  We  spent  two  years  with  this  |)eople,  having  meeting 
.Saturday  and  Sundav  alike.  About  half  of  this  churcb  kept  .Saturday 
as  ,Sabl)ath  and  the  other  half  ke[it  Suntlay,  therefore  we  had  meetings 
both  da  vs.  In  the  spring  of  1S45  1  moved  my  iamily  to  western  New 
York,  and  settled  witli  the  old  I>arre  churcii.  Here  our  second  child 
was  born,  a  son,  M.  I).  Ellis,  w  ho  is  still  li\ing.  After  spending  two 
vears  and  a  half  with  this  jieople,  1  moved  to  Illinois,  and  from  there  to 
Port  Washington,  Wisconsin,  and  while  liere  our  iirst  daugliter  was 
born,  and  about  this  time  the  l>arre  church  sent  me  moneys  to  come  back 
and  take  charge  of  their  church  again,  so  when  this  little  babe  was  four 
weeks  old  w^e  retraced  our  steps  over  the  same  lakes  that  we  had  passed 
o\er  the  fall  before,  from  BuHalo  to  Chicago,  and  moved  into  the  same 
jiarsonage  we  hail  left.  Here  death  came  to  our  household  for  the  lirst 
time,  and  our  little  Harriet  Amelia  left  us  in  sorrow.  In  the  spring  of 
1S49  wemoxedto  Castile,  \\' voming  count\  ,  and  left  that  little  grave 
alone.  Here  the  Lord  blessed  mv  labors  and  1  baptized  fortv  or  fifty 
converts.  Plere  our  home  was  cheered  by  having  twin  daughters  to 
take  the  place  of  our  lost  one,  but  they  both  soon  left  us,  and  we  laid 
their  Ijodies  by  the  side  of  our  Harriet  Amelia,  although  lifty  miles  away, 
so  Adelaide  and  Adeline  sleep  near  tlieir  sister,  side  by  side. 

ANOTTIKH     MOV'E, 

While  li\ing  in  Castile  1  visited  Ohio  and  held  some  meetings,  atul 
tinally  I  returned  home  and  decideil  to  mo\e.  So  in  the  spring  of  iS^j 
we  moved  to  I'2noii,  Clark  count\  ,  ()hio.  The  lirst  two  years  we  li\ed 
here  we  saw  scores  start  in  a  religious  lite,  and  1  l)aptized  mans  in  Mad 
River  near  by.      Here,  also,  our   last  child  was  born,    "  Little  Mary,"    as 


26  AUTOP.IOGKAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN     RLLIS. 

she  was  called  by  many.  We  moved  from  there  to  Concord,  Preble  county, 
Ohio,  and  from  there  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  where  we  edited  and  published 
the  Gospel  Herald,  which  for  years  has  been  combined  with  the  Herald 
of  Gospel  Lihertw  the  oldest  religious  paper  in  the  world.  After  four 
years'  labor  in  this  office,  with  the  best  work  of  my  life  and  my  wife,  too, 
-we  moved  back  to  Preble  county,  only  for  a  year  or  two.  for  our  boys 
were  both  in  the  arm}-,  and  Alary  needed  an  education,  and.  as  1  was 
traveling  nuich  of  my  time,  holding  meetings  here  and  there,  my  wife 
thought  best  to  move  to  Yellow  Springs  and  put  Mary  into  the  primary 
class  of  Antioch  College.  Although  1  ha\e  labored  in  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Missouri,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Texas,  Indian  Territory,  Colorado  and 
California,  I  have  always  felt  that  Ohio  was  my  home,  and  where  we 
live  at  this  ^vriting,  Yellow  vSprings,  is  where  we  celebrated  our  golden 
wedding  in  1891 . 

About  thirty-five  vears  I  labored  faithfully  with  the  Christians — the 
people  of  my  early  cht)ice.  About  the  last  years  of  the  sixties  I  went  to 
Kansas,  and  finding  more  Disciple  churches  than  I  did  of  the  Christians,  I 
thought  I  could  do  more  good  with  them,  and  James  F.  Sloan  took  me 
into  that  body  at  Leavenworth.  Although  changing  my  church  relations 
I  have  not  changed  my  views,  for  these  two  denominations  are  so  near 
alike  that  I  did  not  need  to.  I  have  thought  for  years  they  ought  to  be 
one  people.  They  both  take  the  Iiible  for  their  onlv  creed  and  both 
preach  up  Christian  union,  so  I  naturally  thought  then,  and  do  now,  that 
they  ought  to  be  o//e  people.  They  both  baptize  by  immersion,  but  the 
Disciples  do  not  admit  of  members  into  their  church  without  it,  while 
the  Christians  take  them  in  on  their  Christian  character,  if  they  do  not 
believe  in  the  ordinance  at  all.  Or  if  they  have  been  sprinkled  and  it 
satisfies  their  conscience,  they  take  such  into  their  full  fellowship,  but 
the  Disciples  do  not,  this  being  the  only  difference  between  the  two 
denominations. 

While  in  Kansas  I  preached  in  Towanda,  Eldorado,  Eureka,  Wich- 
ita, Emporia,  Topeka,  Parsons,  Fort  Scott,  and  many  other  places.  From 
Kansas  I  took  a  trip  down  into  Texas  and  the  Indian  Territory  and  com- 
menced preaching  in  .Sherman,  and  saw  the  church  built  up  and  many 
souls  brought  into  the  church  in  many  towns  in  Texas.  This  seemed 
rather  remarkable,  for  it  was  soon  after  the  close  of  the  \var,  and  I,  from 
the  North,  of  course  was  a   Union   man.      They  would   sometimes  say  to 


AUTOBiocH Ann-  of  elder  joriN  ellts.  37 

me  :  "  We  are  all  Rebs.  tlown  Iutc,  hut  we  are  ,i!,"la(l  to  see  you  ;  jj;"()  ahead, 
ind  we  will  help  vou  all  we  can/'  1  liked  the  Lone  Star  State  veiy 
much,  its  climate,  sprin^-s  of  water  and  its  kind-hearted  people. 

:n[v  ^rTssI(>x  amoxc  tiik  ixofaxs. 
While  preachinL!,"  in  'I'e.xas,  I  felt  a  desire  to  s^o  o\er  amon<ij  the  red 
men  of  the  forest,  anil  1  went,  tinis  beintr  UhI  by  the  spirit.  I  went 
directly  to  the  iiome  of  the  chief,  antl  tolil  him  w  hat  1  had  come  for.  Tie 
seemed  glad  {o  see  me,  and  set  me  to  work  immediately  What  I  had  to 
say  to  them  was  for  their  ^ood,  and  they  took  it  at  once  as  reasonable. 
We  met  in  a  groye.  wheri-  there  was  nice  grass,  and  some  logs  were 
drawn  up  for  seats;  and  on  Sunila\'  morning  a  large  crowd  ot  ;dl  sizes 
antl  ages  came  out  earl\  .  Some  were  seated  on  the  logs,  some  on  the 
grass,  others  on  their  ponies  and  s()me  lying  flat  on  the  ground,  but  all 
listening  cpiite  attentiyely  to  my  preaching.  They  would  watch  my 
looks  and  gestures,  and  seemed  to  comprehend  w  hat  1  was  saying.  They' 
seemed,  at  once,  to  iniderstaml  l)aptism,  and  the  chief  told  me  zc/n'  they 
seemed  so  elated  with  that  sid)iect.  lie  told  me  they  had  an  old  "rite" 
among  themselves,  that  w  hen  a  man  comes  in  from  another  tribe  they 
took  him  into  the  \yater  and  wash  him  clean,  and  they  called  that  being 
born  into  the  tribe.  .So  when  I  spoke  of  being  born  of  ^vater  and  of  the 
.Spirit,  they  seemed  to  understand  it  at  once,  and  sixteen  of  them  were 
baptized  the  next  Lord's  day,  and  they  seemed  \ery  much  in  earnest. 

"  OK  A-eillK  A-.M  A-XOK-HO-LA. 

In  just  two  weeks  from  the  time  1  baptized  these  sixteen  in  Red 
ri\er,  1  had  twelve  more  to  go  forward,  and  there  had  been  a  rise  in  the 
ri\i'r,  and  it  wasnnuliU,  sol  went  out  four  or  Hye  miles  where  there 
was  a  clear  stream,  and  there  1  innnersed  them.  A  full  Idooded  Indian 
came  along  and  wanted  to  know  zl'//v  I  did  not  use  Red  ri\er.  When  I 
told  him  of  the  reason,  he  came  and  otlered  me  his  hand,  saying,  "Oka- 
ch/(ka-iiia-)ior-ho-lay  This  means  a  pure  water  lo\er.  He  also  said, 
"Vou  are  a  good  white  man.  Ijecause  you  lo\e  |)ure  water."  .So  this  is 
my  Iinliaii  name.  This  1  likeil  much,  for  1  ne\t'r  do  like  to  baptize  in 
nnidd\-  water.  Paul  ^ays,  •■The  heart  sprinkled  from  an  eyil  conscience, 
and  the  body  ^yashed  in  pure  water."  1  continued  my  work  among 
them,  until  1  had  gathered  sixty  into  the  church,  incliuling  the  chief, 
his  wife  and  the    "medicine   man."      I'hey  held  out  inducements  of  land 


20  AUTOBIOCJRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

and  cows,  etc.,  if  I  would  settle  with  them,  and  possibly  I  might,  if  my 
family  had  been  with  me.  I  look  u])on  mv  stay  with  them,  all  and  in 
all,  with  pleasure,  and  hope  1  shall  meet  some  of  them  as  "stars  in  the 
crown  of  mv  rejoicinj^/"  when  life  is  over,  in  the  beautifid  land  beyond 
the  river. 

"WE     CAN     OET    DRUNK     AS    (iJL'ICK     AS    WHITE    FOLKS." 

I  asked  the  chief-  13rother  Overton — one  day  how  they  got  along, 
being  civilized,  and  he  answered  :  '•(),  first  rate,  for  we  can  get  drunk 
as  (juick  as  white  folks.'"  lie  is  sharp,  and  meant  it  for  a  liarJ  hit 
against  white  men  who  claim  to  be  so  highly  civilized — and  yet  make 
and  sell  and  license  and  drink  these  intoxicants — then  curse  the  Indian 
with  it,  and  semi  it  in  great  quantities  to  curse  the  negroes  in  the  dark 
continent.  Their  chief  is  one  of  the  strongest  Prohibitionists  I  ever  saw, 
and  will  not  allow  the  c/trsc  in  the  nation.  And  vet  ^ve  have  //ever  had 
a  chief  (president)  in  our  highlv  ci\ilized  nation  —  Christian  though  it 
professes  to  be — that  would  prohibit  it,  or  object  to  having  a  saloon  in 
the  capital  of  our  nation — and  e\en  now  while  1  write,  in  i<S92,  our 
vice-president  owns  a  drinking  saloon  that  is  in  full  blast.  This\\ill 
not  always  be  thus,  for  God  lives,  and  the  whisky  and  beer  curse  ////tst 
and  s/io/I  die. 

And  when  I  left  them,  the  chief,  who  is  the  main  elder,  gave  me  a 
letter  of  connnendation  : 

''  Know  all  men  bv  these  presents,  that  whereas  Elder  John 
Ellis,  of  the  church  of  Christ,  known  as  Disciples,  has  been  preach- 
ing for  us  for  some  months,  and  is  about  to  leave  us  for  other 
fields  of  labor,  therefore  we  cordially  commend  him  to  the  fellowship 
of  saints,  scattered  abroad,  both  Indian  and  white  men,  and  do  hereby 
express  a  strong  desire  for  him  to  return  and  preach  for  us  again. 
"Done  by  order  of  the  Chickasaw  Christian  Church, 

"  Gov.  Frank  Overton,  Elder." 

I  think  more  of  this  recommendation  than  any  1  have  ever  received, 
although  I  have  many  laid  by,  and  I  think  much  of  them.  I  left  the 
church  in  a  prosperous  condition,  and  I  heard  from  them  quite  recently 
and  they  were  going  on  tinelv,  have  a  prosperous  church  and  a  good 
house  of  worship.  May  they  continue  to  go  on  till  all  in  that  nation, 
from  the  least  to  the  greatest,  shall  know  the  Lord. 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  29 


CHAPTER  VI. 

After  returning'  from  iiiv  work  amonu;  the  Chickasaw  Indians  I  went 
to  Shelby ville,  Illinois,  and  worked  with  brother  Jasper  L.  Douthitt,  in 
his  labors  of  love  among  those  with  whom  lie  had  been  raised.  He  was 
a  voung  man  of  considerable  talent  and  possessing  a  warm  heart  and 
liberal  views  to  all,  even  those  who  might  not  agree  with  him  in  their 
religious  views.  He  had  come  out  from  under  the  influence  of  the 
"hard  shell  "  Baptists,  so  one  of  his  first  works  for  the  Master  was  to 
gather  his  brothers,  sisters,  cousins  and  associates  from  under  this  influ- 
ence into  a  temperance  society,  and  after  commencing  his  work  as  a  preach- 
er of  righteousness  lie  formed  them  into  a  society  called  the  Oak  Grove 
Christian  church.  .So  when  I  found  him  with  so  large  a  field  of  labor 
liid  needing  help,  I  look  right  liold  to  help  him,  for  my  views  were  lib- 
eral, and  energy  in  abundance,  so  I  could  walk  and  work  as  he  could  not, 
for  he  had  poor  health.  We  got  along  finely  together,  and  did  a  good 
work  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  lie  was  identified  with  the  ITnitarians 
and  I  with  the  Disciples,  but  we  had  no  difticulty  and  worked  harmon- 
iously together.  I  could  not  agree  with  the  radical  wing  of  the  Unitari- 
ans and  he  could  not  agree  with  the  radicals  among  the  Disciples,  and 
vet  wr  got  along  well  together.  During  the  time  I  was  with  Bro. 
Douthitt  I  attended  a  number  of  Unitarian  conferences  and  was  sorry  to 
see  the  young  men  among  them  drifting  into  skepticism,  or  semi-infidel- 
ity and  doubt.  They  seemed  to  think  "Christ  a  very  good  man  ;"  so  was 
Parker  and  Channing. 

So  much  of  the  New  Testament  was  good,  especially  the  oo/t/r//  rule 
and  the  sermon  on  the  mount — bul  that  there  were  many  crude  notions 
in  it  that  men  of  culture  could  not  receive.  They  considered  Christ's  death 
and  resurrection  only  as  -a.  fable,  and  the  punishment  of  the  future  a 
superstition.  If  we  deny  the  resurrection  of  Christ  our  lailh  is  vain, 
and  Christ  and  the  apostles  were  false  witnesses.  Paul  said.  "If  Christ 
be  not  raised,   then  is  our    preaching  vain,  and  ye  are  yet  in   your  sins." 


30  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

I  had  rather  take  the  testimony  of  Paul,  Peter,  John  or  any  of  the  in- 
spired witnesses,  than  a  ten  acre  field  full  of  skeptical  teachers.  While 
they  had  beheld  the  superstitious  "whims"  of  old  Rome,  they  had 
strayed  off  on  the  opposite  extreme  to\vards  the  gulf  of  eternal  nothing- 
ness. They  were  good  social  fellows,  but  as  being  teachers  of  Christian- 
ity, to  lead  poor,  lost  souls  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power 
of  Satan  to  God,  they  were  not  worth  more  than  a  common  lightning 
bug  or  firefly.  Bro.  Douthitt,  however,  was  not  that  kind  or  school  of 
Unitarians,  and  he  and  I  got  along  pleasantly  together,  like  Johnathan 
and  David,  were  fast  friends  and  are  to  this  day.  He  is  a  most  uncom- 
promising Prohibitionist,  and  has  been  the  means  of  saving  that  county 
from  the  awful  curse  of  rum  ;  so  in  this  work,  for  the  overthro^v  of  that 
evil,  we  w^ere  one. 

LIBERAL    CHRISTIANIJY. 

I  have  no  svmpathv  with  intitlelity,  which  robs  Christ  of  His  glory 
and  Christianity  of  its  power,  but  still  I  am  a  believer  in  liberal  Cliris- 
tiauity,  which  means  the  opposite  of  narrow  sectarianism.  It  means  the 
kind  taught  by  Christ  and  the  Apostles  in  the  New  Testament.  It  teaches 
that  reason  and  revelation  harmonize,  and  that  the  doctrine  and  practice 
of  this  religion  is  in  accord  with  the  dictates  of  common  sense.  It  will 
be  seen  that  by  the  above  there  can  be  no  valid  objection  to  progressive, 
liberal  Christianity.  While  preaching  in  the  Disciple  church  one  morn- 
ing, I  saw  a  young  minister  come  into  the  audience  and  I  invited  him  into 
the  pulpit,  and  he  accepted  the  invitation  and  spoke  at  the  close  of  my 
sermon.  After  meeting,  one  of  the  elders  took  me  to  task  for  inviting 
him  forward,  for  he  said  he  had  not  been  baptized,  only  sprinkled.  I  told 
him  I  did  not  know  how  that  was,  but  1  did  know  the  young  man  w^as  a 
good,  earnest  worker.  "'Well."  said  the  elder,  "  1  cannot,  nor  will  I, 
fellowship  a  man  who  has  not  been  baptized."'  After  pausing  a  moment 
I  said  that  it  was  possible  that  1  was  closer  in  my  fellowship  than  he 
w'as,  for  1  did  not  fellowship  all  who  had  been  baptized.  I  told  him  I 
saw  one  of  our  elders  coming  out  of  a  saloon  the  other  day,  wiping  his 
lips,  and  I  can  assure  vou  I  had  not  much  fellow^ship  for  him.  He  col- 
ored some,  but  said  no  more,  for  lic  was  that  man.  I  never  saw  him  en- 
ter a  saloon  again,  so  hope  my  talk  did  him  some  good.  I  can  say  as  the 
Irishman  did  after  hittin<»-  a  man  on  the  head  with    a  club,    "'  And,  faith. 


AUTOBIOGUAPIIY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELEIS.  3I 

I  would  not  have  hit  him  at  all  if  it  hud  not  been  so  '  convanyant.'  "  So 
with  nie  at  that  time,  it  was  indeed  very  convenient,  and  at  another 
time,  while  preachin<r  at  Cochran's  (irove,  there  were  two  young- 
men  who  came  into  the  meeting  intoxicated  and  one  was  a  member 
of  tlie  church.  After  meeting  I  went  home  with  one  of  the  elders, 
hv  the  name  of  vStorms,  and  who  felt  very  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  these 
\uung  men,  especially  the  one  who  belonged  to  the  church.  "rU  teach 
him  better,''  said  the  elder,  "than  to  come  to  church  in  such  a  condition." 
So,  after  listening  awhile  to  his  bitter  words,  I  said,  "  I>rolher  vStorms,  what 
charges  will  you  bring  against  him.?  If  you  charge  him  with  going  into 
the  saloon  and  drinking  whisky,  botii  of  these  will  stand  good  against 
yourself,  for  I  have  seen  you  go  in  these  saloons."  At  these  remarks  he 
looked  about  half  mad,  and  half  mortified  and  pi-rjilexed,  not  knowing 
what  to  do  in  this  case.  lie  was  a  good  man  and  meant  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian, but  had  been  under  the  liquor  influence  so  long,  and  was  opposed 
to  "  sumptuarv  laws."  But  linally  I  said  to  him  that  he  had  better  turn 
over  the  young  man  to  me.  and  I  would  straighten  him  up  if  I  could, 
and  he  did  so.  The  next  morning  I  called  on  the  young  man,  and  found 
him  all  broke  down,  mortihed  and  very  penitent  —  willing  to  do  anything 
in  reason  to  right  this  wrong.  "Now,"  he  said,  "Brother  Ellis,  draw  up  a 
plcdi^c  o^  total  abstinence,  making  it  just  as  strong  as  you  possibly  can, 
and  Iwill  sign  it,  and  I  will  stick  to  it  too  ;  for  I  am  determined  that  I  will 
never  touch  another  drop  of  the  accursed  stuff  as  long  as  I  live."  So  I 
drew  up  a  pledge  in  the  usual  form,  and  he  signed  it  with  great  earnest- 
ness. And  during  my  knowledge  of  him  he  remained  true  to  his  pledge. 
In  that  place  I  have  seen  ministers  sitting  in  the  saloons  laughing  and 
talking  if  not  drinking,  so  what  could  we  expect  of  young  men  who 
are  not  pledged  against  this  curse.  We  should  come  out  and  be  separate 
as  the  Lord  has  told  us,  and  shun  the  very  appearance  of  evil,  for  it  looks 
suspicious  to  see  men  even  sitting  in  these  places. 

During  my  labors  with  Brother  Douthitt,  and  in  that  part  of  Illinois, 
over  one  hundred  and  lift}',  mostly  young  persons,  were  brought  into  the 
fold  of  Christ.  We  let  our  theology  take  care  of  itself.  If  I  had  stronger 
faith  in  the  miracles,  he  had  full  as  strong  or  stronger  conlidence  in 
the  power  of  the  gospel.  Neither  of  us  could  fellowship  the  ungodly, 
so  both  of  us  labored  to  promote  genuine  revivals,  saying  to  all,  "Re- 
pent and  be  converted  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out."     Alter  leaving 


32  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OP'    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

Illinois,  I  have  spent  several  months  at  different  times  in  Pennsylvania, 
in  and  around  v\  here  n^y  Jirs/  tield  of  labor  was  as  a  minister.  I  also 
have  preached  in  twenty-four  states  of  the  Union  more  or  less,  besides 
the  Indian  Territory  and  Canada.  I  feel  thankful  to  A]mi»^htv  (rod  that 
in  lookinjj^  it  all  over  at  the  aa^c  of  ei<»'hty  years  I  can  truly  say  the  Lord 
has  been  with  me,  and  I  feel  that  my  labors  have  not  been  in  vain,  in 
the  Lord.  And  I  hope  to  have  the  unspeakable  pleasure,  to  say  with 
Paul,  when  mv  days  are  about  to  end  on  earth,  "1  am  ready  to  be  offered 
— the  time  of  my  departinv  is  at  hand.''  1  have  foujj^ht  the  <rood  tight, 
have  finished  my  course  and  kept  the  faith,  henceforth,  there  is  a  crown 
of  righteousness  laid  up  for  ine  in  heaven.  I  will  now,  for  the  present, 
stop  my  chain  of  historv  and  present  to  the  reader  what  w  as  published 
a  few  years  ago  in  the  Christian  Standard ,  written  bv  Elder  J.  R. 
Iloag,  of  Nebraska,  a  frientl  of  ours. 


AUTOIilOCKAIMIV    OF     ELDER    JOHN'     ELLIS.  33 


LIVING  MINISTERS— ELDER    JOHN  ELLIS. 


BY    ELDER    J.     R.     IIOAG. 

I  wrote  Carpenter's  biography  upon  a  limited  acquaintance  and  an 
imperfect  knowledge  of  his  public  life.  I  have  been  acquainted  with 
the  present  subject  for  thirty-five  years,  with  the  advantage  of  having 
enjoyed  his  friendship  and  esteem. 

Elder  John  Ellis,  of  Logansport,  Indiana,  is  now  at  the  ripe  age  of 
sixty-four  and  a  native  of  New  York  state.  lie  is  tall  in  stature,  stand- 
ing five  feet  eleven  inches  ;  is  substantially  built,  and  for  twenty  years 
has  had  an  average  weight  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  pounds.  He 
is  well  set  up,  presenting  the  type  of  certain  English  gentlemen  ;  but 
he  is  entitled  to  the  comparison,  since  his  father  was  English.  His  face 
is  square  set,  with  a  prominent  arching  forehead  and  a  projecting  chin. 
He  has  a  medium  complexion  and  his  face  is  rather  fair,  chin  and  side 
whiskers  of  a  sand}'  tinge.  His  hair  is  of  fine  texture,  light  brown,  but 
sparse.. 

The  general  appearance  of  the  brother  is  that  of  a  well-meaning, 
thoughtful  and  practical  man.  As  he  begins  to  talk  or  act,  one  begins 
to  see  the  mental  and  moral  qualities  which  have  characterized  his  lite — 
spirituality,  kindness,  humanity,  charity.  His  early  Qiiaker  education 
dout)tless  did  much  to  develop  these  qualities. 

In  a  phrenological  way  the  "gentle  John,"  as  we  heard  him  called 
many  years  ago,  exhibits  fair  moral  qualities,  with  large  veneration  and 
benevolence,  which  pervade  his  whole  public  and  private  life,  as  well  as 
his  writings,  especially  his  poetry.  Form,  comparison,  spirituality  anil 
language  being  good  helps  to  make  him  the  Christian  poet ;  especially 
with  the  possession  of  a  fine  ideality,  which  wnelds  the  scepter  in  the 
province  of  imagination.  Self-esteem  being  small,  he  has  always 
under-estimated    liis    abilities    and    productions.       I)estructi\eness    being 


34  AUTOBIOGJtAFHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

small,  has  always  made  him  averse  to  killinjj;  anything,  and  the  dog  that 
he  did  kill  was  from  a  benevolent  motive  —  to  save  the  boy  the  dog  was 
mangling.      His  reasoning  powers  are  well  balanced. 

Both  his  domestic  and  religious  feelings  are  strong;  and  his  promi- 
nent individuality  and  observing  powers  have  necessarily  made  him  a 
learner  while  roaming  through  the  ample  iields  of  nature  and  life.  And 
his  love  of  locality  being  weak,  and  benevolence  strong,  he  has  from  the 
force  of  nature,  as  well  as  of  circumstances,  been  a  traveling  missionary 
most  of  his  public  life — at  home  in  any  of  the  nine  states  where  he  has 
been  and  labored,  or  among  the  Chickasaws  in  the  Indian  Territory, 
wherever  the  duty  of  publishing  good  tidings  led  him.  Indeed,  his 
general  make-up  is  favorable  to  the  mission  of  a  Christian  evangelist — 
his  life-work — and  to  this  his  love  of  nature  and  music  has  contributed 
not  a  little.  The  cognomen  of  the  "Poet  John,"  and  the  "  vSinging 
John,"  as  well  as  the  sweet  melody  of  his  voice  and  spirit,  are  every- 
where associated  w'ith  his  earlier  missionary  work.  His  voice  still  re- 
tains the  flexible  sweetness  of  former  years,  and  his  heart  is  still  aglow 
with  the  missionary  fire,  as  even  strangers  must  see  in  his  almost  weekly 
additions  of  members  as  reported  in  the  Standard ;  and  the  beauty  of 
his  zeal  is,  he  labors  out  of  protracted  meetings  as  though  he  were  in 
them,  and  hence  the  constant  success  for  weeks  and  months  continuously. 
His  labors  began  in  New  York,  and  have  freely  been  extended  in  Penn- 
sylvania, Ohio,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Missouri.  Texas, 
Indian  Territory,  and  now  in  Indiana. 

There  can  be  little  known  of  the  results  of  a  ministry  extending  over 
such  vast  territory  and  through  so  many  years  of  faithful  \vorking.  It  is 
a  satisfaction,  however,  to  kno^v  that  his  labor  has  not  ])een  in  vain  in 
the  Lord.  Among  the  spiritual  children  in  the  ministry  who  live  to 
bless  the  memory  of  our  brother  are  Peter  Castnor,  John  Reed,  John 
Sutton,  Eli  Fay,  Samuel  Winchet,  Milton  Miller,  etc.  The  little  boy 
whom  the  elder  one  day  took  into  .his  carriage,  and  talked  kindly  to 
about  Jesus,  is  in  the  midst  of  a  useful  ministry. 

But  thousands  beside  are  feeling  the  silent  influences  of  his  devoted 
life,  or  his  affectionate  exhortations,  or  sweet  singing,  especially  of  his 
own  hymns,  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  singing  for  years  before  they 
foimd  their  way  to  the  press.  His  immortal  poem,  the  "  White  Pilgrim's 
Grave,"    has  made  his    name  a    household    word  in  the  Christian  Church 


AUTOHIOGKAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN     ELLIS.  35 

ami  lias    also  endeared    him  to    thousands    of    Christians  ainon(>"  other  de- 
nominations. 

It  is  said  tliat  all  men  who  lia\e  made  their  mark  in  the  world  have 
hatl  sonu-thinii;  lo  do  with  tlie  press,  tliat  mi<rhtv  lever  which  moves  tliis 
au;e.  ()ur  brother  is  not  an  exception,  although  his  editorial  career  was 
not  lono-.  IBeing  a  ready  writer  for  religious  journals,  he  was  invited  to 
assume  the  editorial  control  of  the  (jospci  Herald ,  which  was  published 
in  Ohio  as  the  western  organ  of  the  Christians.  He  had  charge  of  it  fom^ 
vears.  and  was  glad  to  surrender  to  others  a  work  which  interfered  with 
his  missionary  habits  ;  and  then  the  tinancial  affairs  was  an  elephant  as 
hard  to  manage  then  as  now  in  western  journals. 

It  was  during  tliese  years  of  publication  that  the  literarv  and  busi- 
ness (qualities  of  his  good  wife,  Caroline  D.,  were  developed.  The  elder 
being  absent  for  weeks  together  to  procure  subscribers,  and  withal  to 
raise  the  wind,  she  stepped  in  and  helped  to  manage  and  keep  up  the 
concern,  and  it  is  said  she  did  the  onerous  task  nobly. 

And  since  the  '  wife  of  the  minister  has  been  mentioned,  it  may 
be  well  to  say  that  Caroline  has  been  one  of  the  faithfid  ones  in 
the  church  and  a  help  in  the  ministry,  v^he  is  an  original  thinker  and  an 
indomitable  worker  in  religious,  humane  and  charitable  circles. 

Her  poetry  and  other  literary  works  are  creditable.  In  order  to  be- 
come more  useful  to  humanity  she  conceived  it  to  be  her  duty  to  enter 
the  profession  of  medicine.  It  required  an  indomitable  will  to  raise  the 
means  and  prepare  herself.  But  she  persevered,  and  pursued  the  re- 
quired course  of  study  and  graduated  from  Dr.  Trail's  Medical  College 
at  Philadelphia.  She  then  commenced  her  practice  at  Yellow  Springs, 
Ohio,  where  she  was  w^ell  known,  and  stills  follows  the  profession,  and 
has  become  an  acceptable  practitioner  and  a  fair  lecturer  on  the  laws  of 
health,  temperance  and  other  reformatory  subjects.  Her  husband  is 
many  miles  off  preaching,  but  it  is  due  to  say  of  the  twain  that  they 
hope  to  be  in  their  respective  fields  nearer  together  in  some  happy  day  in 
the  future. 

Elder  Ellis'  religious  conversion  dates  from  1831,  in  Courtland 
county.  New  York,  in  a  prayer-meeting  which  was  the  beginning  of  a 
general  reformation  in  that  section.  Elder  D wight  Dodge  immersed  him. 
His  early  education  w^as  meager.  No  academic  advantages  ;  no  college 
course  ;  and    his    only    theological    training    was    under    Prof.  »Seaver,    of 


3^  ArTOniOGR  AHH  .'    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELEIS. 

Pennsylvania.  And  vet  he  has  been  gatlierinjj^  in  stores  of  knowledge 
all  his  life.  He  has  gone  through  life  with  his  eyes  open,  and  gleaned 
from  prairie  and  woodland,  from  hill  and  glen,  from  ilower  and  fern, 
from  mountain  stream  and  ocean,  from  the  heights  of  heaven  and  depths 
of  earth,  and  from  that  original  source,  the  Living  Oracles. 

He  is  a  student  of  nature  more  than  of  books  ;  indeed,  I  fear  he  has 
quite  too  much  neglected  that  five  hundred  volume  library.  He  loves 
society  and  life,  and  hence  has  a  large  stock  of  knowledge  of  human 
nature.  He  loves  manhood  more  than  the  mountain  cedar,  and  childhood 
more  than  the  rill  or  the  rose  ;  and  the  holy  Scriptures  as  the  choicest 
mine  of  knowledge,  and  as  furnishing  the  best  means  and  motives  of 
life.      And    his  knowledge  and  modes  are  practical. 

In  all  his  getting,  the  poetical  taste  has  infhienced  his  imagination 
and  perhaps  guided  his  selections  and  hallowed  his  productions. 

As  a  minister,  he  began  talking  in  1834,  and  has  been  talking  ever 
since.  His  first  appointment  drew  a  crowd,  and  he  was  terribly  em- 
barrassed, talking  and  shaking;  but  thanks  to  fortune  it  was  not  an 
Indiana  chill,  for  it  passed  away  with  his  first  effort.  "  Come,  for  all 
things  are  now  ready."  Such  was  his  theme  then,  and  of  this  same 
John  now,  after  forty-five  years.  He  began  talking  for  the  Master,  and 
talking  is  still  the  highest  stvle  of  his  preaching,  and  he  talks  so  freely 
and  withal  so  affectionately,  and  perseveringly  that  one  gets  to  think  of 
hint  as  a  kind  of  gospel  fountain. 

He  was  ordained  at  Plymouth,  Pennsylvania,  the  sermon  by  the 
great  evangelist,  David  Millard  ;  his  text,  "  Preach  the  Word."  The 
charge  by  Daniel  Rote,  the  prayer  by  Seth  Marvin.  Thus  well  inducted 
into  the  office,  his  whole  life-work  has  been  to  preach  the  gospel,  his 
time  being  about  ecjually  divided  between  pastoral  and  missionary  work. 
The  two  kinds  of  labor  were  intermingled,  pastorates  being  generally 
short.  He  has  performed  a  great  amount  of  missionary  labor  in  travels, 
preaching,  praying  and  singing. 

In  1866,  Brother  John  Ellis  joined  the  Disciples.  For  many  years 
he  thought  he  might  be  more  useful  among  the  Disciples  and  so  acted 
conscientiously  in  transferring  his  standing.  He  took  a  letter  of  dismis- 
sion from  the  Miami  Christian  Conference,  Ohio,  and  united  with  the 
Disciples  at  Leavenworth,  Kansas.  His  first  regular  work  among  the 
Disciples  was  at  Omaha,  since  ^vhich   time  he    has  found    ample  employ- 


AUTORlOGKArirV     01<'     EI.UEK     JOHN'     ELLIS.  37 

ment.  He  had  many  years  before  this  chani^e  been  a  hard  worker  in 
Ohio.  Besides  the  pubh'sliino-  interests,  he  had  to  do  with  the  bui!din<j^, 
and  as  a  trustee,  with  the  manatfemeht,  of  Antioch  Colie^-e.  And  now 
in  his  decHnint^  \ears  he  is  full  of  enthusiasm  for  the  work  of  education, 
publications.  Sunchiy  schools  and  church  missions.  Years  of  trial  and 
toil  have  thinned  his  locks,  but  have  not  whitened  them. 

His  baklness  gi\es  him  the  \enerable  look  of  a  Cln-istian  father  of 
the  second  century;  but  he  is  still  the  useful  ferchiiith,  his  life  is  i^reen 
with  devotion.  The  tender  and  aiTectionate  spirit  of  tiie  Nhister  are  feU 
in  his  addresses,  and  the  sino-ularly  musical  Noice  of  former  davs  has  hist 
none  of  its  power  with  agv.  ."success  attended  the  earlv  ministrv  of  our 
brother,  and  now  in  ins  manhood  and  ay-e  (jod  is  o-i\ino-  liiin  the  crown- 
ing victories  of  a  useful  life. 

Such  is  a  brief  sketch  of  a  man  who  has  been  a  Christian  forty-seven 
years  and  minister.  He  has  written  many  poems  during  life,  which  will 
doubtless  be  published  sometime. 

The  popular  poem,  the  White  Pilgrim,  w^as  written  \vhile  the  au- 
thor was  visiting  the  grave  of  Joseph  Tliomas,  who  was  a  plain  but 
talented  minister  of  tlie  Christians  from  Ohio,  and  had  been  on  a 
successful  preaching  tour  to  the  North,  but  took  the  small-pox  in  New- 
York  City  and  died,  a  stranger,  at  the  Johnsonburg  church,  in  New 
Jersey.  Elder  Thomas  was  in  the  habit  of  dressing  in  wiiite  goods, 
summer  and  winter,  which  gave  him  the  name  of  'A\"hite  Pilgrim." 
The  young  preacher,  Ellis,  visited  Johnsonburg  on  a  preaching 
journey,  and  was  deeply  affected  b}-  the  sad  fate  of  a  beloved  minister's 
dying  away  from  his  family,  by  such  a  terrible  disease  and  attended  in 
his  dying  hours  by  only  a  Negro  nurse.  He  sat  upon  a  rock  overlooking 
the  beautiful  cemetery  and  the  newly  made  grave,  and  amid  gushing 
tears  and  solemn  reflections,  the  following  words  began  to  How  : 

I  came  to  the  spot  where  the  White  Pilgrim  lay, 
And  pensively  stood  by  his  tomb. 

The  original  copy  of  this  touching  poem  is  now  before  me,  the  au- 
thorship of  which  has  been  clainjed  by  \arious  writers  in  as  many  differ- 
ent denominations.  It  is  therefore  but  a  matter  of  justice  to  lilder  ]ohn 
Ellis  that  the  real  author  should  be  made  known  and  in  connection  the 
circumstances  of  its  composition. 


38  AUTOBIOGRAPHV    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 


vSKETCHEvS  AND  INCIDENTS  OF  LIFE. 

I  will  now  leave  the  history  or  autobiography  of  my  Hie  and  present 
such  incidents  of  my  travels  as  I  think  will  be  interesting  to  the  general 
reader.  It  was  not  my  intention,  in  oft"ering  a  brief  outline  of  my  life 
and  travels  in  the  ministry,  to  enter  into  a  tedious  detail,  but  simply  to 
present  a  few  of  the  more  interesting  items  of  my  work.  Many  prayers 
and  exhortations  become  wearisome  because  of  their  length.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  Christ  condemned  the  vScribes  and  Pharisees  for  using 
vain  repetitions  in  their  devotions  and  told  them  that  it  was  a  heathen- 
ish practice. 

STICK     TO     VOl'R     PATCH. 

About  three  miles  from  the  home  of  my  boyhood  there  was  a  large 
tract  of  wild  land  called  "  The  Windfall,''  which  had  grown  up  in  briars, 
and  especially  blackberry  bushes.  In  the  season  of  the  year  when  that 
fruit  was  ripe  we  had  fine  times  picking  the  berries.  I  generally  started 
out  early  in  the  morning,  carrying  a  tin  pail  holding  twelve  quarts  or 
more  and  a  tin  cup  to  pick  in.  vSeveral  of  our  neighbors'  children  would 
go  along,  all  eager  for  the  sport  and  the  berries.  I  was  rather  still  and 
said  but  little,  but  was  fullv  as  determined  to  fill  my  pail  as  any  of  them. 
The  rest  of  the  company  were  generally  as  merry  as  blackbirds,  chatting 
away  in  great  earnestness,  all  telling  where  the  best  patch  was  to  be 
found,  and  all  boasting  that  they  would  fill  their  pails  "in  less  than  no 
time."  As  soon  as  we  reached  the  field,  the  party  scattered  in  different 
directions  to  find  the  best  picking,  and  so  would  wander  for  some  time 
before  entering  upon  the  work.  I  never  had  much  difficulty  in  finding  a 
good  place  and  went  immediately  to  work  in  good  earnest.  Presently  1 
would  hear  some  one  cry  out,  "Come  this  way,  all  of  you,  for  here  are 
lots  of  them,  I  tell  you.''  Then  away  some  of  them  would  scamper, 
over  fallen  trees  and  the  thick  brush,  and  perhaps  spill  half  they  had 
gathered  in  the  endeavor  to  find  better  picking,  but  I  generally  stuck  to 
my  patch  and  picked  away.      It    would   not  be   long  before  I  would  iiear 


AUTOHIOGKAPIIV    of    KLDER    JOHN     EM, IS.  ^9 

another  one  calling- out,  "(),  here  is  the  beste.st  picking;  just  come  this 
way  and  ve  can  fairly  scrape  "em  in."  Many  of  them  would  run  at  this 
call,  only  to  tind  themselves  disap|)ointed  again  and  beginning  to  feel 
([uite  tliscouraged,  while  1  thought  it  unwise  to  leave  a  certainty  for  an 
uncertainty,  anil  so  kept  my  fingers  busy  and  stuck  to  my  patch.  The  re- 
sult was  that  I  generally  tilled  my  dish  l)y  the  time  they  got  tiieirs  half 
full,  because  they  did  not  stick  to  their  patcii.  I  was  no  faster  picker 
than  the  rest  of  them — perhaps  not  so  nimble  with  my  fingers  as  some  of 
them — but  succeeded  because  1  did  not  spend  my  time  in  running  abt)ut, 
but  stuck  to  my  work. 

The  recollection  of  those  days  and  scenes  has  taught  me  many  a 
good  lesson  during  my  earthly  pilgrimage.  I  have  witnessed  the  failure 
of  many  of  my  fellow  men  simply  because  they  did  not  "stick  to  their 
patch."  I  have  seen  a  farmer,  nicely  situated  upon  a  fertile  piece  of 
land,  well  stocked.  He  had  a  nice  dwelling,  well  furnished  with  all  the 
comforts  of  life.  His  yard  was  filled  with  shrubbery  and  beautiful  flow- 
ers, and  he  was  out  of  debt  and  money  in  the  bank.  But  he  exchanged 
his  lovely  home  in  the  country  for  a  city  residence,  and  went  into  the 
mercantile  business  and  failed,  just  because  he  did  not  "stick  to  his  patch." 
I  knew  a  good  mechanic  wdio  was  doing  well  at  his  trade  and  getting 
along  finely  in  the  world,  but  his  wife  was  rather  high-minded  and  said 
so  much  against  "  greasy  mechanics  "  that  he  changed  his  occupation 
for  a  business  he  knew  little  or  nothing  about,  and  staggered  along  for  a 
lunnber  of  years,  with  a  burden  of  debt  on  his  hands,  aiid  finally  failed, 
because  he  did   not    "  stick  to  his  patch." 

A  young  man  came  out  of  college  with  graduating  honors  and  en- 
tered with  zeal  upon  his  chosen  profession,  and  was  succeeding  well  and 
gaining  the  coniidence  of  the  people,  but  he  left  it,  and  went  into  specu- 
lation and  failed.      lie  did  not  "stick  to  his  patch.'' 

A  beautiful  young  lady  was  engaged  to  an  industrious  farmgr,  but 
forsook  him  and  flirted  with  an  unprincipled  city  fop,  whose  only  stock 
in  trade  was  a  flattering  tongue  and  a  French  nuistache.  Long  years  of 
repentance,  misery  and  shame  were  the  result  of  her  not  "sticking  to 
her  patch"  (first  love). 

A  3'oung  associate  of  my  youthful  days,  with  education  and  bright 
prospects,  entered  the  ministry  and  bade  fair  to  become  a  successful  work- 
er in  the    vineyard  of    the  I.onl,  but    becoming  somewhat  discouraged  on 


40  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHX    ELLIS. 

account  of  remuneration  turned  his  attention  to  different  secular  occupa- 
tions, but  succeeded  poorly  in  all.  His  life  was  nearly  a  failure  because 
he  did  not  "stick  to  his  patch"" — the  ministry.  So,  dear  voung  friends, 
make  a  judicious  selection  of  your  life-\york,  and  then  enter  upon  it  with 
zeal  and  energy,  and  "  stick  to  your  patch."" 


STEP-MOTHERS. 

Step-mothers  and  mothers-in-hiAy  are  the  most  bitterly  persecuted 
people  I  know  of.  Xo  doubt  some  of  them  are  scheming  and  one-sided, 
but  why  condemn  them  as  a  whole  for  what  a  few  may  dor  And  is  it 
not  often  the  case  that  children,  sons-in-la\y.  and  e\en  our  own  mothers 
are  equally  as  partial  as  those  they  condemn?  It  is  one  of  the  most 
natural  tilings  in  the  world  for  a  mother  to  feel  a  deep  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  her  own  children,  and  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  she  will 
U)se  all  interest  in  her  as  soon  as  she  becomes  Mrs.  John  Smith,  and  she 
ought  to  haye  a  perfect  right  to  adyise  her  in  the  responsible  duties  of 
human  life,  antl  if  her  husband  is  what  he  ought  to  be,  he  will  rejoice  in 
this  adyice  instead  of  grumbling  at  his  wife"s  mother.  But  a  step- 
mother has  a  thankless  place  to  till  in  life,  and  is  often  faulted  for  the 
yery  best  acts  of  her  life.  If  she  takes  great  pains  to  keep  the  children 
clean  and  neat,  some  one  will  say  she  is  too  strict  and  seyere  on  the 
motherless  childi'en.  Again,  if  she  lets  them  run  and  have  their  own 
way,  then  of  course  she  is  neglectful  and  subject  to  seyere  criticism.  So 
let  her  do  what  she  may — be  strict  and  careful  to  supply  all  their 
needs,  or  be  a  little  easy  in  her  discipline — it  is  all  the  same,  for  faulted 
she  will  be,  by  friends  and  neighbors  who  do  not  take  half  as  good  care 
of  their  own  children.  I  had  a  step-mother,  and  a  good  one  she  was  to 
us  lonely  children,  and,  although  she  did  not  seem  to  us  like  our  own 
mother,  yet  she  did  the  best  for  us  she  could,  and  we  loyed  her.  She 
was  industrious  and  frugal,  kind  and  obliging,  and  seemed  to  be  deyoted 
as  much  to  our  welfare  as  though  we  had  been  her  own  chil- 
dren. Perhaps  we  did  not  appreciate  her  worth  at  the  time — probably 
did  not,  for  children  will  be  children,  the  world  oyer — yet  we  respected 
her,  and  our  liyes  passed  as  pleasantly  under  the  paternal  roof  as  though 
our  own  mother  was  there.  And  now,  at  this  distance  of  long  years 
since  I  left  the  home  roof,  and  also  many  years  since  she  was  called  from 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  4I 

the  toils  of  earth  to  her  rest  in  lieaven,  it  does  me  o-ood  to  bear  testiiiionv 
to  the  -.cortli  ot"  that  much  loved  step-mother. 

THE     Wliri'E     l?OSE     lUTSH. 

I  stood  beside  the  couch  of  a  dvin<^  gii'h  '"i<^l  wept  as  T  receixed  her 
parting-  blessin*^.  Her  fair  form,  wasted  by  disease,  was  yielding  to 
death,  and  the  rose  had  left  her  cheek,  but  a  heavenly  smile  played  upon 
her  countenance  and  the  hres  of  immortality  were  already  kindled  in  her 
eye.  Ellen  Miller  was  nearing  the  end  of  life,  and  we  all  felt  sad  at  our 
fast  approaching  loss,  and  yet  tried  to  be  reconciled  and  say,  "Thv  will 
be  done."  In  early  life  she  united  with  the  Christian  Church,  at  Enon, 
Clark  county,  Ohio.  vShe  was  one  of  the  quiet  kind  of  Christians  whose 
Christianity  consisted  in  deeds  more  than  words  ;  yet  she  was  so  pure, 
kind  and  earnest  in  her  life,  that  all  loved  her.  Her  life  had  been  like 
an  even  spun  thread,  and  she  had  walked  through  it  with  feelings  calm 
and  even.  .Spring  was  opening  in  loveliness,  and  the  early  flowers  were 
in  bloom;  but  dear  Ellen,  like  a  faded  rose,  w^as  passing  away.  Sweet 
birds  w'ere  filling  the  air  with  their  songs,  but  our  youthful  sister  was 
summoned  to  leave  for  another  clime.  As  1  stood  by  her  bed,  and  wept 
that  she  was  so  soon  to  leave  us,  she  looked  up  with  a  sweet  smile  and 
requested  me  to  accept  as  a  memento  of  Christian  regard  a  white  rose 
bush.  She  said,  "Take  this  and  set  it  out  by  your  window,  and  as  you 
see  its  white  blossoms  they  will  remind  you  of  me,  walking  with  angels 
in  white,  amid  the  bowers  of  Paradise."  The  fair  donor  died,  and  we 
laid  her  form  to  rest  in  the  dreamless  sleep  of  the  grave,  but  the  j-ose  bush 
grew  and  blossomed  as  sw^eetly  as  though  the  hand  that  gave  it  was  not 
palsied  in  death,  and  while  beholding  its  snow  white  leaves  they  re- 
minded us  of  the  ci-own  and  white  robe  which  our  sainted  sister  was 
wearing. 

A    QJLTAKER     MEETING, 

One  lovelv  morning  in  September,  while  walking  to  my  appoint- 
ment in  central  Indiana,  I  espied  by  the  wayside  in  a  beautiful  shady 
bower  a  nice  brick  meeting  house,  belonging  to  that  cjuiet  people  known 
as  Qiiakers  or  Friends.  Being  wearied  with  my  walk,  I  turned  aside 
with  the  double  purpose  of  resting  and  at  the  same  time  enjoying  the 
meeting,  tor    it   was  the    hour  of  jiraver.      Nature  seemed  in  her   loxeiiest 


42  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

and  gayest  attire,  a  green  tinge  Jiere  and  there  with  the  sere  leaf  of 
autumn  covering  the  ti-ees  of  the  forest,  while  the  orchards,  pastures  and 
heavily  laden  corn  fields  presented  a  most  picturesque  scenery  to  my 
view  ;  making  it,  trulv.  a  fit  time  for  rest,  meditation  and  praver.  I  sat 
down  mv  satchel  under  one  of  these  fine  maple  trees  and  stood  waiting 
before  entering  the  sanctuary,  but  I  had  not  waited  long  before  an  aged 
friend  in  a  quiet  nianner  approached  me,  saying,  "Thee  is  a  stranger 
here,  is  thee?"  I  answered  that  I  was.  "Thee  is  a  preacher,  is  thee,  and 
where  is  thee  going?"  I  told  him  that  I  was  a  preacher  of  the  Chris- 
tians, and  had  an  appointment  at  Marion,  Grant  county,  Indiana,  the 
Sabbath  following,  but  being  tired  with  my  morning  walk  thought  I 
would  rest  and  enjoy  their  meeting  if  it  would  not  be  an  intrusion. 
"Thee  is  perfectly  welcome  to  attend  our  meeting,  and  if  thee  has  any 
communications  to  make,  thee  must  make  them." 

That  "  Bethel  of  the  Bower,"  as  I  might  call  it.  was  soon  filled  with 
broad  brims  and  neat  looking  quaker  bonnets,  and  with  equally  as  neat 
looking  faces  beneath  them,  and  I  found  myself  seated  among  the  elders 
on  the  highest  seat  of  the  synagogue.  In  Revelations  we  are  told  that 
there  was  silence  in  heaven  for  the  space  of  half  an  hour;  so  I  found  that 
silence  reigned  among  these  ancient  worshipers  for  nearly  that  length  of 
time,  but  was  finally  broken  by  an  aged  minister,  who  arose  and 
preached  a  short  sermon  from  this  text,  "Great  is  the  mystery  of  godli- 
ness, God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh."  Then  after  a  short  and  not  very 
doctrinal  sermon  the  speaker  sat  down  and  all  was  silent  again.  ]>ut 
the  mantle  of  Elijah  seemed  to  fall  upon  me  .instead  of  Elisha  at  this 
time,  and  I  was  numbered  among  the  prophets.  After  permission  had 
been  given  me,  I  spoke  frc:"  these  words,  "We  are  no  more  strangers 
and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  of  the  household  of  faith."  My  testi- 
mony was  well  received  1  think,  making  good  impression  upon  all  pres- 
ent, especially  upon  the  younger  people,  while  many,  both  male  and 
female,  sauctioiicd  what  the  stranger  friend  had  said.  After  this,  one  of 
the  rulers  of  the  meeting  arose  and  said  the  hour  for  business  had  ar- 
rived. Knowing  that  the  uncircumcised  Gentiles  were  not  permitted  to 
remain  in  their  business  meeting,  I  took  my  hat  with  a  view  of  leaving, 
but  a  venerable  friend  Siro?,ii  and  said  "  that  he  had  been  refreshed  in  the 
spiritual  man  by  the  testimony  of  the  stranger  within  their  gates,  and 
that  his  spirit  was  in  unison  with  ////;/   and  if   the  meeting  was  in  unison 


AUTOBIOGKAPIIV    OF    ELDER    JOIIX    ELLIS.  43 

with  his  spirit  he  wcnild  invite  the  stranger  to  remain.  Upon  this  remark, 
some  fifteen  or  twenty  arose  and  said,  one  after  another,  tliat  their  spirit 
was  in  unison  with  his  spirit,  so  1  was  duly  notified  that  1  was  free  to  re- 
main. I  accepted  the  invitation  and  remained.  This  was  their  monthly 
meeting,  before  the  last  (juarterly  meeting  of  the  year,  antl  hence  the  busi- 
ness was  a  kind  of  retrospect  and  summing  up  of  the  year.  Two  clerks 
officiated,  one  asking  the  printed  (piestions  of  the  disci f>/ii/c  in  relation 
to  the  moral,  religious  and  financial  condition  of  the  four  societies  be- 
longing to  this  quarterly  meeting,  and  the  other  reading  the  answers 
which  had  been  already  made  out  and  written  for  the  occasion.  The 
questions  and  answers  were,  as  near  as  I  can  remember,  as  follows  : 

J^ii-sf.  Do  all  the  friends  belonging  to  this  meeting  pay  their  debts 
punctually.'      It  was  answered  that  they  did. 

Scco/id.  Are  any  or  the  members,  young  or  old,  needing  aid?  It 
was  answered  that  there  was  not  one  so  poor  as  to  need  aid.  Here  some 
pertinent  remarks  were  made,  showing  what  reasons  for  thankfulness  to 
the  giver  of  all  good  for  his  goodness,  which  endureth  forever, 

71iird.  Have  any  over-reached  in  business  and  become  so  embar- 
rased  that  they  cannot  pay  their  debts?  It  was  answered.  No.  Here  a 
warm  exhortation  in  urging  all  to  be  careful  on  this  point  and  not  to  get 
too  worldly-minded,  lest  they  should  be  overwhelmed  by  the  cares  ot 
this  life  and  finally  be  lost. 

Fourth.  Have  any  used  or  sold  intoxicating  drinks  during  the  year? 
Two  members  had.  A  connnittee  was  then  appointed  to  visit  the  oftend- 
ers  and  win  them  back  to  virtue  and  goodness,  if  they  could. 

Fifth.  Has  each  f-mily  been  supplied  with  a  copy  of  the  liible, 
and  is  it  read  in  connection  with  family  worship?  All  had  been  sup- 
plied and  nearly  all  read  it. 

Sixth.  Is  tobacco  used  by  the  members  of  these  societies?  About 
half  of  them,  it  ^was  found,  used  the  filthy  weed.  Here  a  plain,  kind 
speech  came  in,  showing  the  fi/thii/css  and  needless  expensiveness  ot 
the  use  of  tobacco  in  all  of  its  forms.  I  wish  all  Christians  could  have 
heard  that  speech,  for  it  was  right  at  point. 

Seventh.  Have  proper  ctTorts  been  made  in  the  week  day  and  Sun- 
day schools  for  the  education  of  our  ciiildren  ?  It  was  answered  aifirma- 
tivelv. 


44  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

Eighth.  Has  sufficient  testimony  been  borne  during  the  past  year 
against  hireling  priests?     This  \vas  answered  affirmatively. 

Thus  the  questions  and  answers  ended,  all  passing  off  in  a  quiet 
manner,  leaving  a  good  impression  on  all  present.  When  hireling 
priests  were  spoken  of  I  smiled,  not  out  of  derision,  but  to  think  that  a 
people  who  are  so  kind,  and  even  progressive,  hive  not  made  the  least 
advance  on  that  point  for  two  hundred  years.  It  seemed  strange  to  see 
people  who  use  good  sense  about  most  things  should  be  concerned  about 
ministers'  salaries,  when  they  get  barely  enough  to  keep  soul  and  body 
together.  It  was  all  riglit  in  the  da^-s  of  (jeorge  Fox,  the  founder  of  the 
society  of  Fi-iends,  for  the  English  clergy  were  paid  enormous  salaries  or 
"  livings  "  provided  for  them  bv  law.  But  at  this  time,  and  in  America, 
it  is  unnecessary  and  useless.  But,  upon  the  whole,  I  enjoyed  the  meet- 
ing verv  much  and  was  truly  glad  to  ffnd  the  spirit  of  religious  progress 
among  that  people,  and  hope  they  will  continue  to  advance  until  they 
attain  to  the  highest  state  of  perfection.  After  bidding  them  farewell  I 
resumed  mv  joiu'ney  and  went  on  mv  way  I'ejoicing. 

ONE    WEEK    OF    MISSIONARY    WORK. 

I  have  often  thought  if  the  benevolent  friends,  who  give  their  money 
to  send  us  poor  wanderers  out  into  the  wide  \vorld  as  "  heralds  of  the 
cross,"  could  see  two  things  :  First,  ho\v  cheerfully  many  who  are  tired 
of  dead  forms  and  creeds  receive  our  kind  and  liberal  teachings  ;  and, 
second,  the  hard  toil  and  wearisome  labor  we  go  through,  together  with 
the  privations  we  often  endure.  1  think  it  would  induce  them  to  give 
more  liberally  and  cheerfullv  than  they  do.  I  would  like  to  see  our 
farmers  and  business  men,  who  enjoy  the  comforts  of  life  and  many  of 
its  luxuries  too,  with  the  endearments  of  family  and  friends,  go  through 
for  one  month  just  what  we  pass  through,  simply  to  give  them  an  insight 
into  the  light  and  shadows  of  missionary  life. 

For  the  benefit  of  all  whom  it  may  concern  I  will  give  one  week's 
experience  in  my  work  here  in  the  West.  Preached  three  times  on 
Lord's  day  and  gave  a  lecture  to  the  Sunday  school,  and  with  a  nervous 
headache  went,  supperless,  to  bed.  Monday  walked  eight  miles  through 
a  delightful  country,  until  I  reached  a  stream  called  Lye  Creek,  and  find- 
ing the  bridge  swept  away  I  waded  the  stream  and  reached  the  opposite 
shore  in  safetv.      T    then    walked  a    distance    of   five    miles    and   came    to 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHX    ELEIS.  45 

Sugar  River,  and  findino-  no  bridge  there  I  plunged  in  as  before,  with  a 
view  of  crossing ;  but  after  stemming  the  rapid  current  for  awhile  and 
tinding  it  deeper  and  swifter  than  I  expected,  my  courage  began  to  fail 
me  and  I  felt,  I  suppose,  a  little  as  Peter  did  while  attempting  to  walk 
on  Gallilee.  But  thinking  it  was  no  time  to  look  back,  and  remember- 
ing that  I  had  an  appointment  ahead  and  no  other  way  to  reach  it,  and 
that  I  often  put  people  into  the  water  all  over,  I  plucked  up  courage  and 
went  forward,  coming  out  all  right  on  the  other  side,  although  the  stream 
at  this  place  was  about  two  hundred  yards  wide  and  some  of  the  way 
three  feet  deep.  I  enjoyed  a  good  visit  and  religious  meeting  that  even- 
ing and  felt  amply  repaid  for  the  toils  of  the  past  day.  Tuesday  walked 
eight  miles,  made  four  visits,  preached  to  a  full  house  in  the  evening  and 
received  three  into  the  church.  Wednesday  met  a  bigoted  sectarian, 
who  sent  myself  and  several  denominations  to  hell,  but  I  did  not  go,  but 
walked  six  miles  in  the  opposite  direction  and  had  a  blessed  meeting 
at  night.  Thursdav  only  walked  five  miles  and  met  with  the  Good 
Templars  in  the  evening  and  gave  them  two  songs  and  a  short  lecture  or 
speech.  Friday,  visited  and  read  in  the  morning  and  prepared  a  lecture 
and  gave  it  to  a  large  congregation  in  the  evening.  vSaturday  prepared 
two  sermons  for  Sunday  and  spoke  in  the  evening  on  Christian  charity. 
Preached  Lord's  dav  morning  on  the  responsibility  of  parents  to  their 
children,  and  at  night  to  the  young  people  upon  the  necessity  of  form- 
ing good  habits  and  beginning  life  right,  and  enjoyed  a  refreshing  season 
from  the  Lord.  Went  to  my  lodgings  with  a  thankful  heart  and  at  peace 
with  God  and  all  mankind,  except  traitors  and  rumsellers.  Thus  ended 
the  week's  labor,  which,  by  the  by,  was  nothing  uncommon  and  not  as 
fatiguing  as  some  weeks  I  could  mention. 

INFIDELITV,    OR    OLD    GENERAL    ClIADWICK. 

In  the  summer  of  1850,  as  I  was  traveling  on  foot  in  the  state  of 
Michigan,  I  stopped  at  a  grocery  in  the,  then,  new  village  of  Van  Buren, 
to  rest  ni}'  weary  limbs,  and  while  there  1  encountered  an  old  gentleman 
bv  the  name  of  Chadwick,  whom  I  found  to  be  a  pro-slavery  Democrat 
and  a  rough  swearing  fellow.  We  had  a  warm  controversy  for  an  hour 
or  more,  when  finally  he  said,  ''The  Bible  sanctioned  human  slavery." 
In  reply,  I  asked  him  for  a  text  of  .Scripture  in  its  favor.  I  told  him  that 
I  did  not  know  of  any,  unless  it  should  be  the  golden    rule.      "All  things 


4^  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  do  ye  even  the  same 
unto  them."  But  he  was  sharp  enough  to  see  the  ////  and  felt  it  too,  and 
answered,  "That  is  not  it,  but  c//sscd  be,  what  do  you  call  his  nanie." 
(),  I  said,  I  know  who  you  mean — cursed  be  copperheads.  l)Ut  upon 
this  he  partly  laughed,  and  partly  swore,  and  I  turned  away  and  left 
him  and  proceeded  on  my  journey.  But  I  had  not  proceeded  far  before 
I  saw  him  following  after  me  with  a  two  horse  wagon,  so  I  stepped 
aside  and  said  to  him  when  he  came  up,  "Well,  old  man,  you  and  I  have 
had  a  glorious  political  quarrel  back  there,  now  suppose  you  let  me  ride." 
"Ride,  yes  in  welcome,"  and  stopped  his  team  to  let  me  get  in.  lie 
soon  informed  nie  that  he  \vas  skeptical  and  yet  was  not  a  confirmed 
infidel,  and  hoped  that  Christianity  might  be  true.  1  soon  found  that 
his  objections,  like  most  of  that  class,  were  not  so  much  against  Chris- 
tianity proper  as  against  the  irritational  doctrines  and  human  dogmas 
of  fallible  men.  He,  like  many  others,  had  paid  but  little  attention  to 
the  doctrines  and  practice  of  Christianity  as  taught  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  hence  was  a  poor  judge  of  its  merits  or  demerits.  He  spoke 
with  great  earnestness,  and  often  mixed  vulgar  and  profane  language 
while  speaking  of  the  most  solemn  and  tender  things.  After  learning 
that  I  was  a  minister,  he  seemed  to  trv  and  leave  off  his  profanity,  but 
found  it  a  difficult  task  to  break  ofT  from  this  verv  bad  habit.  In  the 
course  of  our  conversation,  he  told  me  that  he  lived  down  toward  the 
lake  —had  a  large  tract  of  land,  a  saw  mill,  and  had  a  good  many  men 
and  their  families  working  for  him,  and  wanted  me  to  go  home  with 
him,  and  become  a  settled  preacher  among  them.  And  as  an  induce- 
ment, he  said  he  would  give  me  eightv  acres  of  land,  and  put  up  a  pretty 
cottage  home  for  us  to  live  in.  I  told  him  that  was  a  verv  generous  offer 
indeed  ;  but  I  said,  "Why  do  you  want  to  hire  a  man  to  come  and  preach 
that  to  you  and  your  folks,  which  vou  ca'^  !'  dse — a  cunninglv  devised 
fable."  "Ah,"  said  he,  "there  is  the  rub,  I  mov  be  wrong,  and  the 
Bible  may  be  true,  and  if  it  is  true  what  a  glorious  truth  it  is,  and  I 
ought  to  know  it.  I  am  not  satisfied  with  mv  faith  and  religious  sur- 
roundings, and  I  tell  you  franklv  that  I  do  not  want  mv  children  brought 
up  in  heathenism.  Mv  wife  is  a  Christian  and  a  good  woman  too,  and 
I  much  rather  mv  children  would  be  educated  in  her  faith  than  in  mine, 
if  I  have  any  faith,  but  I  have  Jioiic,  for  skepticism  is  nothing  but  unbe- 
lief— it   is  a  negation,    a  cypher,    a   blank,    and  often    a  great   deal  worse 


AUTOBIOGKAPIIV    OK    ELDER    JOHN     EI.I.IS.  47 

than  nothinir.  1  wish  1  was  soiiiethini^ — wish  I  liad  faith  —  wish  I  was  a 
Christian."  So,  after  ^oin<r  on  in  this  strain  for  (|uiti'  a  Icnjrth  ot  time, 
as  we  leisurely  rode  alontr,  he  seemed  to  wake  u])  all  at  once  as  it  out  ot 
a  tlream,  and  said;  ''What  kind  of  a  preaciier  are  you  thouj^h?"  I  made 
answer  that  1  was  the  r/^-///  kind  of  a  preacher  of  course.  "\es,  but 
are  you  a  Universalist  minister?"  I  told  him  that  1  was  not.  "Well 
then,  all  rii^ht,"  he  said.  "1  thought  if  you  were  a  Universalist,  I  did 
not  want  vou,  for  if  religion  w^as  anything  it  was  everything.  But  as 
for  universalism  there  was  nothing  in  it.  A  man  man  may  serve  God  or 
the  devil — be  a  good  man  or  a  l)ad  man,  all  the  same — he  is  on  his  way 
to  heaven.  I  am  not  caught  in  that  way — not  caught  with  chaff:  lor  it 
1  become  a  Christian  at  all,  1  wish  to  be  a  real  genuine  one — have  a  liv- 
ing faith  and  obev  from  the  heart  the  real  Gospel  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  And  if  vou  preach  for  us  I  want  your  preaching  to  drive  us  up 
into  the  corner  of  the  seat,  and  make  us  think  that  the  very  devil  is  after 
us,  for  that  is  the  only  kind  of  preaching  that  will  do  us  miserable  sin- 
ners any  good."  As  I  took  my  leave  of  him,  1  promised  to  call  and 
preach  awhile,  and  perhaps  accept  his  offer  on  my  way  back  from  the 
west,  but  it  was  not  convenient,  and  I  did  not  call.  I  have  always  re- 
gretted that  I  did  not  visit  him  on  my  return  ;  for  I  presume  I  would 
have  found  it  a  good  held  of  labor,  and  perhaps  been  successful  in  win- 
ning many  precious  souls  to  Christ. 

DUTY    FIRST,    BUSINESS    AFTERWARD. 

While  preaching  at  .Sherman,  in  Texas,  by  the  aid  and  ailvice  ot  the 
brethren  who  had  just  moved  into  their  new  church,  I  organized  a  .Sun- 
day school,  and  while  getting  teachers  for  the  classes  l^rother  l^rown, 
who  was  one  of  the  talented  lawyers  of  the  s<..'..  and  counsel  for  the 
Texas  Central  Railroad,  came  forward  and  offered  to  teach  a  class.  We 
were  glad  of  this,  for  he  was  eminently  cjualified,  and  then  the  example 
was  so  good.  Time  passed  on.  and  the  school  increased  in  numbers  and 
interest,  and  this  brother  was  at  his  post,  leading  his  ilock  into  green 
pastures.  \\"hen  my  engagement  with  this  church  I'xpired,  1  took  my 
leave  of  the  friends  and  w^ent  further  south,  preaching  in  Austin,  San 
Marcus,  Blanco  City  and  Waco,  a  city  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 
iVfter  being  absent  over  a  year,  1  visited  the   Sherman  church  again   and 


48  AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

spent  one  Lord's  day  with  them.  vSaturday  night  I  tarried  with  Brother 
Brown,  and  as  we  were  seated  in  his  parlor  he  received  a  letter  or  tele- 
gram from  his  law  partner,  requesting  his  immediate  presence  at  Mc- 
Kinney  on  business.  This  threw  him  into  a  deep  study,  and  he  seemed 
troubled,  but  after  awhile  he  said.  "  I  will  have  to  go,  I  suppose,  and 
leave  my  class,  but  I  feel  sorry  over  it.''  .Silence  prevailed  for  awhile, 
but  finally  he  threw  the  dispatch  on  the  table  saying,  decidedly,  "  No,  I 
will  not  go.  I  will  remain  and  teach  my  class,  for  I  have  left  tliem  but 
once,  and  that  caused  by  sickness  in  niy  family.  Duty  pr.^t,  business 
afterward."  I  thought  here  was  truly  a  model  teacher  for  us.  A 
wealthy  man,  a  popular  lawyer,  a  politician  and  a  man  of  great  business, 
and  yet  put  liis  Sunday  school  class  duties  ahead  of  everything  else. 
How  few  there  are  of  this  style,  who  would  say,  "  Duty  first,  and  busi- 
ness afterward."  So  many  look  upon  the  Sunday  school  as  a  very  small 
thing,  not  wortliy  the  attention  of  men  of  business. 

A    GENEROUS    DONATION. 

Bv  invitation,  when  preaching  at  Ripley,  Holmes  county,  Ohio,  I 
went  over  into  the  vallev  towards  the  countv  seat  and  preached  Saturday 
night  and  Sunday  in  a  nice  church  and  had  an  excellent  meeting.  At 
the  close  of  the  sermon  on  Lord's  day  they  took  up  a  collection  to  remu- 
nerate me  for  my  labor.  iVfter  meeting,  a  well-to-do  member  asked  me 
how  much  the  collection  amounted  to.  I  told  him  one  dollar  and  a  half. 
"  Is  that  all.^  "  he  said,  rather  indignantlv,  and  with  spirit  adding,  "that 
is  too  bad  ;  come  as  far  as  you  have,  and  preach  sermons  Saturday  night 
and  vSunday,  and  only  get  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents!  I  will  help  you 
some."  And  he  gave  me  a  nickel.  I  thanked  him  five  cents'  w-orth, 
and  told  him  I  would  make  good  use  of  it  and  hoped  he  would  be  amply 
rewarded,  ''  for  he  that  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  bountifully,  and 
he  that  soweth  sparingly  shall  reap  sparingly." 

I    HAVE    HAD    A    DAY,  RUT    I    PRIZED    IT    NOT. 

When  I  was  preaching  in  southwestern  Ohio  some  years  ago,  I 
called  to  see  a  very  sick  young  man,  who  apparently  was  dying.  I  ap- 
proached the  bed  where  he  was  lying,  expressing  deep  sympathy  for  him 


AITTOHIOGKAIMIV     OK     KLPEll    JOHN'     ELLIS.  49 

ill  his  feeble,  dyin<i^  condition,  and  finally  asked  him  if  I  should  read  the 
Scriptures  and  pray  with  him.  Hut  he  answered,  "  No,  for  it  is  too  late 
now,  for  1  had  a  day  and  prized  it  not."  I  told  him  that  (jod  was  very 
merciful,  slow  to  anger,  and  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all 
could  turn  to  Ilim  and  li\e,  and  while  there  was  life  there  was  hope.  But 
with  despair  pictured  on  his  countenance  and  with  a  sad  voice,  he  said 
again,  ''I  had  a  day,  but  prized  it  not."  I  then  spoke  to  him  of  the  prayer 
of  the  dying  thief  on  the  cross  :  "  Lord,  remember  me  when  thoucomest 
in  thv  kingdom  ;"  but  he  replied  with  the  same  sad,  despairing  voice, 
'•  Yes,  1  know  that,  but  my  case  is  very  different  from  his,  for  that  poor, 
dying  man  had  never  seen  the  Savior  before  nor  heard  tlie  invitations  ol 
the  gospel,  but  I  have  sat  under  its  teachings  from  childhood  and  have 
spurned  all  its  solemn  warnings  and  kind  invitations,  have  waded 
through  the  prayers  and  tears  of  the  Holy  vSon  of  God  until  I  am  left 
hopeless  with  nothing  remaining  but  a  fearful  looking  for  of  fiery  indig- 
nation that  will  soon  destroy  my  poor  soul.  Ah,  I  had  a  day,  but  I  prized 
it  not.  I  had  a  mother,  lovely  as  an  angel  and  as  pure  as  life's  morning, 
but  I  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  all  her  admonitions  and  even  grieved  her  pure 
spirit  when  she  was  dying,  and  would  not  promise  to  meet  her  in  heaven. 
Itellyou  I  had  a  day,  but  prized  it  not. 

"I  had  a  sweet,  loving  sister, who,  like  an  angel  of  mercy,  sought  to 
turn  me  away  from  niy  sins  to  the  service  of  the  living  God,  but  all  in 
vain.  And  when  she  was  dying,  she  took  my  hand  and  earnestly  en- 
treated me  to  meet  her  in  heaven,  but  I  pulled  my  hand  away,  refusing 
to  grant  her  dying  request.  She  wept  almost  tears  of  blood  as  she  bade 
us  all  farewell  and  soon  breathed  her  last ;  and  yet  I  w^as  unmoved  and 
my  heart  was  hard  as  the  nether  mill-stone.  We  laid  her  sweet  form 
down  in  the  silent  mansions  of  the  dead  and  returned  to  our  lonely  home 
without  the  least  anxiety  on  my  part  to  obey  the  gospel.  And  here  I  am 
now,  on  my  dying  bed,  with  no  prospect  of  meeting  those  dear  ones  in 
that  pure,  immortal  state.  Please  let  me  alone,  for  there  is  no  hope  in  my 
case  ;  my  soul  is  lost  forever."  And  after  a  few  moments  of  solemn  still- 
ness, for  1  did  not  know  what  to  say.  he  turned  his  despairing  eyes  toward 
the  wall  and  wailed  out,  "  I  had  a  day,  but  I  prized  it  not,"  and  died. 

I  wept  as  I  turned  away,  but  fervently  uttered  the  prayer:  "Let 
me  die  ihe  death  of  the  righteous  and  let  my  last  end  be  like  his,"  butO, 
Lord,  forbid  that  I  siiould  die  like  this  man. 


50  Al'TOBIOGRAPHV    OF    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 


AN  APPENDIX. 

Soon  after  the  closing  chapter  of  my  husband's  autobiography  his 
eyesight  failed  him,  so  that  he  could  not  read  or  write,  therefore  I  tind 
it  in  an  unfinished  condition,  very  many  pages  misplaced  and  quite  a 
number  duplicated .  owing  to  his  failing  sight,  so  it  has  been  almost  a 
puzzle  to  arrange  it  for  the  press  ;  but  knowing  how  anxious  he  was  to 
have  it  published,  I  have  done  the  best  I  could  with  the  manuscript  and 
send  it  out  to  the  world,  hoping  his  friends  will  give  it  a  warm  welcome. 
If  vou  will  observe  the  last  page  he  wrote,  you  will  think  doubtless  as  I  do, 
that  he  could  not  have  written  differently  if  he  had  known  all  that  has 
since  occurred.  I  have  tried  to  use  his  owyi  words  as  much  as  possible. 
After  his  eyesight  failed  he  could  not  give  up  the  idea  of  preaching,  al- 
though diseased  in  various  ways,  so  in  the  fall  of  1892  we  went  to  Den- 
ver, Colo.,  to  visit  our  daughter  and  were  gone  from  home  some  months, 
holding  meetings  by  the  wav.  He  was  especially  active  in  meetings, 
going  by  Illinois,  Iowa'  and  Nebraska  ;  also  staying  some  weeks  after  I 
returned,  and  before  he  got  home  he  was  taken  sick  at  Goshen,  Ind.,  and 
had  a  siu^gical  operation  performed.  After  starting  for  home  again  he 
stopped  at  Winchester,  Ind..  and  held  some  meetings  there.  The  next 
attempt  he  reached  home  very  weary — more  so  than  I  had  ever  seen  hini 
on  coming  home.  He  rested  for  a  few  weeks,  but  was  still  desirous  of 
going  out  in  the  work  of  his  life,  and  thought  some  of  going 
to  Pennsylvania,  although  in  such  a  feeble  condition.  By  this 
time  it  was  October,  and  our  son  having  moved  to  Indianapolis,  he  went 
out  to  see  them,  they  meeting  him  at  the  depot.  The  second  day  after 
he  got  there  he  was  taken  verv  sick  and  our  son  dispatched  for  me  to 
come  at  once,  and  of  course  I  ^vent.  On  arriving  there  I  ft)und  him  much 
better,  but  after  a  few  davs  I  consulted  the  best  surgeon    in    the    city    and 


AUTOBIOCiKAPHY     OK     ELDEI{    JOIIX     ELI.IS.  c^  1 

he  came  and  performed  an  operation  on  him,  and  he  was  so  relieved  that 
I  brou<j^ht Jiim  home  the  next  day.  He  stayed  home  a  few  weeks,  but 
was  so  desirous  of  doing  a  /////c  more  for  the  Master  that  he  started  (or 
Toledo,  but  stopped  by  the  way  and  held  meetings  east  of  Urbana,  1 
think.  Then  he  came  hdme  again  before  making  his  attempted  visit  to 
Toledo  and  Xeapolis,  which  was  his  /crsf  home  leaving.  He  preached 
on  Sunday  at  Neapolis,  founding  his  remarks  on  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  .  Elder  Britton  wrote  me  on  Monday  that  he  was  very  tired,  but 
was  resting.  On  Tuesday  evening  he  had  a  meeting,  but  was  too  feeble  to 
stand,  so  he  sat  in  his  chair  and  gave  a  resit  me  of  his  life,  which  Brother 
Uritton  said  was  interesting  indeed,  and  this  proved  to  be  his  last  public 
effort.  The  next  day  he  started  homeward,  but  when  only  four  miles  on 
the  way  he  stopped  to  consult  Dr.  Heath  at  Whitehouse,  where  he  took 
la  gr'-;  2  and  was  so  bad  that  our  son  came  from  Indiana  and  took  him, 
in  a  sleeper  to  his  home,  and  put  him  under  the  care  of  their  surgeon.  Dr. 
vSutcliff,  and  he  took  charge  of  his  case  till  the  great  Father  said:  "  It 
is  enough,  come  up  higher." 

He  dictated  a  letter  to  llie  Herald  of  (rospe/  Libertw  which  was 
published,  and  as  some  would  like  to  know  how  he  felt  in  his  last  illness, 
I  insert  a  copy  of  it  : 

"  As  I  am  on  the  bed  sick,  and  perhaps  will  never  more  arise  to  greet 
my  friends  and  brethren,  1  will  say  that  I  am  nearly  eighty-two  years 
old.  I  have  been  a  minister  of  the  gospel  and  activel}-  engaged  in  the 
work  of  saving  souls  for  over  sixt}'  years.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with 
the  plea  that  the  Christians  started  out  with,  namely:  'The  Bible  our 
creed.  Christian  our  name.  Christian  union  our  motto.'  The  names  of 
those  good  brother  pioneers  and  my  associates  in  the  work  present 
themselves  to  my  mind — a  host  of  them — {names  omitled)  —  I  often 
think  of  them.  How  I  would  like  to  see  those  that  survive  antl  my 
many  other  friends  in  the  church.  It  would  help  me  much  and  be  a  great 
comfort  to  me  to  receive  letters  from  many  of  them.  It  will  cheer  me  on- 
ward and  light  up  my  pathway.  If  my  duties  are  through  on  earth  and 
it  is  the  Di\ine  will  ihat  I  shall  cross  o\er  the  river,  I  will  go  rejoicing. 
I  wish  the  prayers  of  all  of  (iod's  people,  that  I  may  bear.  j);itiently.  the 
suffering  and  pain  that  I  am  now  passing  through,  and  that  it  may  work 
tor  my  good.  And  now,  brethren,  one  word  more,  I  want  you  to  hold 
on  to  your  plea,  for  you  are  on  the  Divine  foundation  and  (iod  will    bless 


:^2  AUTOBIOGKAPIIV    OF    ELDER    JOHN    P:LLIS. 

voii  in  the   good    work.      I,    John,    am    your    brother  and   companion    in 
tribuhition  and  in  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ. 

"  JOHN  ELLIS, 
"  No.   ^  English  Avenue.  Indianapolis,  Ind." 

One  Lord's  day  during  his  illness  Brother  Hicks  and  several  of  his 
congregation  who  worshiped  near  by  came  in  and  held  a  little  service  in 
•  his  room  and  he  enjoyed  it  very  much,  and  there  partook  of  his  hist  com- 
munion on  earth.  He  was  able  to  give  them  a  little  exhortation  and  sang 
them  his  eightieth  birthday  song,  which  these  friends  will  remember. 

After  this  he  was  not  inclined  to  talk  much  and  seemed  to  think  his 
talks  were  about  ended.  He  grew  weaker  rapidly  until  Monday  noon, 
Februar}^  26,  1894,  with  his  wife,  daughter,  son  and  family  around  his  bed, 
knowing  us  all,  he  passed  out  into  the  luiseen,  opening  his  eyes  at  the  last 
as  if  he  saw  a  host  come  to  escort  him  heavenward,  and  left  his  lifeless 
body  there  before  us.  Thus  ended  his  active,  ministerial  life.  The  next 
day  we  had  a  short  service  at  our  son's  house  with  singing  and  three 
Disciple  brethren  gave  a  short  talk  each.  After  this  we  started  with  the 
body  for  our  home  at  Yellow  .Springs,  ().,  where  the  next  day  we  had 
another  service  at  our  house,  after  which  we  conveyed  his  lifeless  form  to 
the  silent  house  of  the  dead  and  placed  it  on  the  same  lot  with  our  son 
Charley,  Avhose  ashes  have  made  it  sacred  for  fourteen  years.  Now, 
kind  reader,  you  have  the  finishing  up  of  his  life  work,  the  last  page  he 
wrote  in  his  autobiographv,  a  synopsis  of  his  last  public  talk,  the  last 
letter  he  dictated  for  the  press  and  his  last  com'munion  in  his  sick  room. 
And  thus,  at  the  age  of  eighty-one  vears  and  six  months,  he  was  released 
from  labor  in  this  life  and  began  the  life  that  is  unending. 

C.  D.  ELLLS. 


Sono-s,  Hvnins  and  Poems. 


By  Elder  John  Ellis. 


The  Wanderino  Pilorim. 


(Written  by  Elder  John  Ellis,  at  the  age  of  21.) 

I  am  a  wandering  pilgrim,  an  exile  I  do  roam, 
I'm  in  a  land  of  strangers  far  from  my  native  home, 
I  cross  the  lofty  mountains,  I  fsice  the  snow  and  rain 
To  preach  a  risen  Savior,  the  lamb  for  sinners  slain. 

I  take  the  Holy  Bible  to  be  my  only  guide, 
I  know  no  otlier  Go.s])el  than  Jesus  crucified, 
I  am  not  superstitious  nor  filled  with  party  zeal, 
The  love  of  Christ  is  precious,  its  virtue  I  do  feel. 

But  while  I  am  a-preaching,  as  Jesus  gave  command, 
I  meet  with  opposition  and  trials  on  each  hand ; 
Scmie  say  that  I'ni  deluded  and  filled  with  heresy, 
My  preaching  is  not  useful,  I'm  leading  men  astray. 

Some  say  that  I  am  sober,  some  say  that  I  am  rude. 
Some  say  that  I  am  humble,  some  say  that  I  am  proud, 
Some  say  they  will  not  hear  me,  they  say  it  is  too  plain, 
Some  say  tliat  I  am  selfish,  some  say  I  preach  for  gain. 

But  though  the  world  despise  me  and  call  me  poor  and  mean. 
And  now  should  i^ersecute  me  and  give  me  cruel  names, 
I  trust  the  Holy  Savior  will  hel|)  me  still  to  bear 
In  meekness  those  reproaches  which  daily  I  do  hear. 

In  Jesus'  name  I'll  coniiuer  and  trium|)h  o'er  the  grave 
With  all  God's  holy  people  whom  Jesus  Christ  will  save  ; 
I,  then,  will  join  the  angels  and  with  them  ever  dwell. 
So  then,  my  friends  and  neighbors,  I  bid  you  all  farewell. 


54  SOXGS,    HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Western  Missionary. 


I  was  weary   while  crossing  the  prairie  and  sat  down  by  the  way-side   and 
wrote  the  following  hymn. 

O'er  the  beautiful  prairie  an  exile  I  roam, 
Away  from  my  kindred — the  loved  ones  at  home — 
Tt"*  publish  salvation  to  tlie  aged  and  youth 
And  preach  the  pure  Gospel  of  mercy  and  truth. 

I  face  the  cold  storms  of  rain  and  of  snow. 
While  sharp  piercing  winds  around  me  do  blow. 
And  often  feel  weary  as  the  day  doth  decline, 
And  think  of  the  loved  ones  I  left  far  behind. 

The  foxes  have  lioles  and  the  birds  have  their  nests, 
The  conies  find  shelter  in  the  rocks  where  they  rest, 
But  I,  like  my  Master,  by  duty  am  led. 
And  like  Him,  I  have  not  a  place  for  my  head. 

Yet  I  do  not  murmur,  or  feel  to  complain, 
Nor  shrink  from  tlie  hardshi])s  of  sorrow  or  pain  ; 
And  trust,  though  this  body  may  fall  in  the  west. 
My  spirit  will  enter  the  land  of  the  blest. 

'Tis  well,  then,  thoiigli  strangers  should  stand  by  my  bed. 
No  tears  of  affection  be  over  me  shed, 
'Tis  well,  then,  though  strangers  should  lay  me  to  rest. 
If  I'm  but  permitted  to  die  at  my  post. 


On  the  Death  of  a  Young  Lady 


Once  more  the  sound  of  death  we  hear, 
xVnother  summoned  to  apj)ear 

At  God's  impartial  bar  ; 
A  blooming  youth  is  called  to  go. 
And  bid  farewell  to  all  below. 

And  leave  her  friends  in  tears. 

Her  morning  sun  rose  briglit  and  clear. 
Resplendent  shown  for  nineteen  years, 

AVithout  one  dimming  shade  ; 
With  joy  she  hailed  each  rising  morn 
And  did  not  see  the  gathering  storm, 

'i'iiat  lowered  round  her  head. 


BY    EI.DET?     JOHN     EI.I.TS.  i^  i:^ 

But,  O,  liow  chiuij^ed  the  scene  is  now — 
That  lovely  youih  has  had  to  bow 

To  death's  relentless  power; 
Unfeeling  death,  that  cruel  Toe, 
Has  pierced  her  heart  and  laid  her  low, 

And  lojiped  that  niorning  Hower. 

IVIy  lovely  child,  wiiy  did  you  go 
And  leave  your  friends  in  rears  below. 

To  mourn  your  early  fall? 
But  hush,  my  soul,  do  not  coniplain, 
Our  loss  was  her  eternal  gain  ; 

She  heard  tlie  Savior  call. 

And  now,  niethinks,  i  hear  her  say, 
"My  friends,  O,  never  vveeji  for  me 

For  Jesus  is  my  friend  ; 
My  soul  has  found  a  resting  place 
In  my  Redeemer's  fond  embrace, 

The  Christian's  long  sougiit  home." 

Adieu,  dear  child,  farewell,  farewell. 
The  loss  we  feel  no  tongue  can  tell. 

Yet  we  will  let  you  go  ; 
May  naught  disturl)  your  ])eaceful  rest, 
No  storm  alarm  that  quiet  breast. 

Till  the  last  trump  shall  blow. 

And  while  you  sleep  in  yonder  grave, 
And  o'er  thy  ashes  gently  wave 

The  willow's  tender  bough, 
May  those  who  mourn  youi-  early  fall 
Prepare  for  death's  alarming  call. 

For  they  are  mortals  too. 


Can't  Go  To  The  Ball. 


(Written  on  receiving  a  tici^et  to  attend  a  ball.) 

Your  token  of  friendshij)  i  luive, 

Feel  thankful,  indeed,  for  the  same. 

But  hope  that  you  will  not  be  grieved 
If  with  you  I  do  not   attend. 


56  SOXGS,    HYMXS    AXD    POEMS, 

My  time  is  too  i^recious  on  earth 

To  spend  in  so  childish  a  way, 
I  cannot  engage  in  your  mirth, 

Nor  join  in  the  trifling  ])hiy. 

A  heaven  of  bliss  would  be  lost. 

My  conscience  be  covered  with  shame, 

My  flattering  prospects  cut  off, 

And  sweet  cheering  hope  would  be  slain, 

The  cause  of  my  Master  would  bleed, 

My  brethren  with  sorrow  be  filled. 
The  wicked  encouraged,  indeed. 

And  Jesus,  my  Savior,  be  killed. 

Then  look  not  for  me  at  your  ball, 

Nor  seek  me  among  the  gay  crowd, 
But  when  in  that  festival  hall 

liefleel  on  the  judgments  of  God."-' 

*\Vlien  the  youno:  man.  Orin  Dewey,  who  sent  this  ticket  to  Elder  Ellis,  went  after  the  young^ 
lady  he  was  to  take  to  the  ball,  he  took  the  returned  ticket  with  him,  and  told  her  one  of  them  had 
been  returned  with  some  poetry  written  on  the  back  of  it.  So  he  read  it  to  her,  and  as  the  last  line  was 
read,  it  sank  into  the  heart  of  tliis  lady— Sofronia  Johnson— and  she  never  got  rid  of  "Reflect  on  the 
Judgments  of  Goo,'' until  she  ^ave  her  heart  to  Him  and  found  peace.  I  heard  her  relate  this  tact  in 
her  experience. — C.  D.  E. 

The  Songs  of  the  Little  Birdies. 


I  came  to  the  grove  where  tlie  foresters  sing 

And  gently  sat  down  in  the  shade, 
Tlie  early  spring  bii-ds  made  the  wild  woods  ring 

With  the  sweet  rural  music  they  made. 

"We  tliank  Thee,  dear  Father,"  each  note  seemed  to  say, 

"Tliat  thou  liast  preserved  us  so  long  ; 
The  cold  storms  of  winter  have  all  jtassed  away. 

And  sweet,  love!y  spring  has  now  come. 

"Tlie  li-aves  of  the  forest  begin  to  appear. 

And  meadows  are  moulted  in  green  ; 
The  streamlets  now  flow,  the  blue  sky  is  clear 

And  beautiful  flowers  are  seen. 

'Preserve  us,  our  Father,  on  each  summer  day. 

And  help  us  in  rearing  our  young. 
From  each  little  nest  drive  rude  boys  away, 

And  we  will  repay  Tliee  with  song." 


BY    EI.DE1{    JOIIX    KT.I.IS.  5J 

I  listened  with  joy  to  eacli  birdie's  song, 

And  hoped  tiiat  their  prayer  would  be  lieard, 
And  asked  the  great  Father  to  kee])  nie  fi'oin  wrong 

And  make  me  as  pure  as  tlie  birds. 


The  White  Pilgrim. 


T  came  to  the  spot  wiiere  the  White  Pilgrim  lay. 

And  pensively  stood  by  the  tomb  ; 
When  in  alow  whisper  I  lieai-d  something  say, 

"  How  sweetly  I  sleep  liere  alone. 

"The  tempest  may  howl,  and  the  loud  thunders  roll — 

And  gathering  storms  may  arise — 
Yet  calm  are  my  feelings,  at  rest  is  my  soul, 

Tlie  tears  are  all  wiped  from  my  eyes. 

"  1  wandered  an  exile  and  stranger  below, 

To  publish  salvation  abroad  ; 
The  trump  of  the  Gospel  endeavored  to  blow  . 

Inviting  poor  sinners  to  God. 

"  Rut  when  among  strangers  and  far  from  my  liome — 

No  kindred  or  relatives  nigh — 
r  met  the  contagion  and  sank  in  the  tomb. 

My  spirit  ascending  on  higii. 

'■  Go  tell  my  companion  aiid  eliildren  most  dear, 

To  weep  not  for  Josepli,  though  gone  ; 
Tiie  same  hand  that  led  me  tlu-ough   scenes  dark   and  drear 

Has  kindly  conducted  me  home." 


The  Riimseller's  Lament. 


"Alas!"  said  a  rumseller,  "I  once  had  a  liome, 
A  nice  splendid  mansion,  obtained  by  selling  rum. 
It  was  furnished  su])erbly  in  the  costliest  way, 
But  the  temperance  fanatics  have  swept  it  away. 

"I  once  had  my  customers  and  plenty  of  cash. 
Could  drive  a  fine  horse,  and  cut  a  great  dash, 
Was  loved  and  respected  by  the  ricli  and  the  gay. 
But  tlie  temi)erance  fanatics  have  swept  them  away 


58  SON(;S,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

"I  once  wore  fine  clotliing,  had  a  gold  headed  cane, 
A  cosily  gold  watch,  and  a  beautiful  chain  ; 
But  sadly  how  changed  now  I'roin  that  i)ros])erous  day 
For  tlie  tenn)erance  fanatics  liave  s\vei)t  tliem  away. 

"My  business  once  prospered  and  money  was  free, 
And  whisky  and  brandy  and  rum  you  could  see 
In  great  abundance  in  that  luippy  day, 
But  temperance  fanatics  have  swept  them  away. 

"And  I'm  all  covered  with  rags  as  you  see, 
With  a  patcli  on  my  elbow  and  a  rent  on  tlie  knee, 
No  money,  no  bread,  and  no  friends  in  this  day. 
For  the  teni])erance  fanatics  have  swept  them  away. 

"But  one  thing  consoles  me  in  this  time  of  need, 
For  some  have  a  rum-i)lank  in  their  ])olitical  creed. 
And  down  on  my  knees  to  the  devil  I'll  pray. 
That  the  tem|)(n'anc(>  fanatics  may  not  ruin  the  day." 

THE  SEOoxn  pakt. 

"And,  yet,  on  reflection  and  having  more  liglit, 
I  half  way  believe  tlie  fanatics  are  right ; 
That  my  business  is  sinful  and  leading  astray, 
And  onglit  to  be  swept  entirely  away. 

"For  I've  seen  its  effects  on  the  old  and  the  young, 
liike  a  blighting  scourge  with  its  venomous  tongue, 
As  it  spared  neither  aged,  cliildhood,  or  youth. 
And  trampled  in  dust  all  the  lovers  of  truth. 

"I  sometimes  liave  thoughtasi  offered  the  glass 
To  the  giddy  and  thoughtless  wlio  before  me  did  pass, 
I  could  see  in  the  depths  of  its  fountain  l)el<)w 
The  syrens  that  led  to  the  vortex  below. 

"The  tears  of  the  widow  and  orplian  there  roll 
As  crushed  were  their  hopes  in  the  maddening  bowl. 
And  the  husband  and  fatlier,  once  pure  as  the  snow. 
By  the  use  of  strong  drink  was  forever  laid  low. 

"The  jail  and  the  i)rison  and  the  poor-house,  I  think. 
Appear  to  my  vision  as  I  offered  them  drink. 
And  wailings  came  up  from  lost  spirits  below. 
And  filled  my  sad  lieart  witli  anguish  and  woe, 


BY    KT.DKK     JOHN     KI.LIS.  ^g 

"And  so  I've  concluded  to  pom-  out  my  ruin. 
Break  all  my  bottles,  and  be  a  temperance  man. 
So  fetch  on  your  pledges,  prohibition  and  all, 
And  I'll  help  you  to  roll  on  this  tem|)eranee  ball." 


On  the  Death  of  Sister  Ella  Stewart. 


Now  go,  dearest  Ella,  to  the  land  of  the  blest 
Where  apostles  and  prophets  have  gone, 
Thy  spirit  was  weary,  but  now  findeth  rest, 
■  With  Jesus  around  the  wliite  throne. 

In  the  early  sweet,  spring  time  v\  liil(>  the  Mowers  were  gay. 

And  nature  looked  lovely  and  fair, 
The  angels  were  sent  to  call  thee  away 

To  thy  beautiful  liome  in  tlie  air. 

Thy  soul  early  tasted  tlie  sweetest  deligiit. 

Thy  spirit  was  free  from  all  gloom, 
The  Hovvers  of  affection,  unfading  and  bright, 

AVere  filled  w  itli  the  sweetest  perfume. 

But  earth  was  too  drear  for  lliy  jtermantMit  home. 

And  Jesus  has  called  tliee  away 
To  dwell  with  the  angels  around  the  brigiit  throne, 

.'Vnd  with  them  foi-ever  to  stay. 

Farewell,  dearest  Ella,  we  will  not  com])lain. 

Though  tears  of  deep  sympathy  How  ; 
The  loss  we  all  feel  to  thee  is  great  gain, 

As  we  most  assuredly  know. 


Sunshine  and  Shade.    ' 


Heat  is  mingled  with  our  cold. 
Dross  is  mingled  with  oiu"  gold, 
Day  is  mingled  with  our  night, 
Wrong  is  mingled  with  oiii*  riglit, 
Joy  is  mingled  witli  our  i)ain, 
Loss  is  mingled  with  our  gain, 
Hope  is  mingled  with  our  ft>ars, 
Smiles  are  mingled  with  our  tears 
Want  is  mingled  witii  our  wealtli. 
Sickness  mingled  witli  onr  h(>:iith. 


6o  soxctS,  hvmxs  axd  poems, 

Sin  is  mingled  witli  our  good, 
Poison  mingled  with  our  food, 
Love  is  mingled  with  our  hate. 
Small  things  mingled  with  the  great. 
Thorns  are  mingled  with  our  Howers, 
Sunshine  mingled  with  our  showers, 
Songs  are  mingled  witli  our  sighs, 
Laughter  mingled  with  our  cries, 
AVar  is  mingled  with  our  peace. 
Trouble  mingled  with  our  ease, 
Toil  is  mingled  with  our  rest. 
Bad  is  mingled  with  the  best, 
Sinners  mingle  wltli  the  saints, 
Praises  mingle  with  complaints. 


My  Mother  in  Heaven. 


My  mother  now  has  left  the  shore 

That  is  by  sin  uneven  ; 
Her  toils  are  past,  her  sufferings  o'er, 
Afflicting  scenes  disturb  no  more, 

Methinks  she's  gone  to  heaven. 

Unfeeling  death,  that  cruel  foe. 

My  heart  with  pain  has  riven  ; 
He  does  not  hear  the  orphan's  woe. 
Nor  can  he  see  their  tears  which  How, 
But  mother  lives  in  heaven. 

How  oft,  dear  mother,  you  have  mourned 

And  labored  for  your  children  ; 
How  much  for  them  was  you  concerned, 
Lest  we  should  never  leave  our  sins, 
Or  e'er  prepare  for  lieaven. 

Now  sleep,  dear  mother,  in  the  tomb, 

I  wish  not  to  disturb  thee ; 
I  know  thy  toils  are  at  an  end. 
And  trust  in  Christ  you  find  a  friend, 
AVho  gives  you  rest  in  heaven. 
% 


BV    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS. 

Silver- Wedding  of  Elder  B.  F.  Rapp. 


6 1 


I  have  no  sliiniiig  silver  or  ducats  of  i)recious  gold. 
Nor  brass  witliin  my  coffers,  as  Peter  said  of  old  ; 
But  what  I  iiave  to  offer  will  cheerfully  be  given 
In  coin  that  may  be  current  within  the  gates  of  lieaven. 

One  ([uarter  of  a  century  with  you  has  i)assed  away, 
Since  joined  in  matrimony  on  that  eventful  day, 
But  still  you  are  united  in  Hymen's  sacred  bonds, 
As  closely,  if  not  more  so,  as  when  pronounced  but  one. 

It  has  not  been  all  sunshine  through  which  you  two  have  come, 
Nor  has  it  been  all  shadow  o'erwhelming  you  in  gloom  ; 
But  mixed  with  shade  and  sunshine  has  thus  far  been  your  life. 
Since  Letitia  and  H.  F.  were  joined  as  man  and  wife. 

Have  each  of  you  been  faithful  and  acted  well  your  part, 
And  been  to  each  other  helpful  with  kind  and  loving  heart. 
And  sought  to  lighten  burdens  that  oti  each  other  lay. 
And  smooth  the  rugged  places  of  life's  uneven  way? 

When  one  was  sad  and  lonely  and  sinking  in  despair. 
Has  the  other  been  more  cheerful  and  helped  the  load  to  bear? 
And  when  the  heart's  devotion  of  one  has  seemed  to  wane, 
Has  the  other  sought  to  kindle  a  bright  and  heavenly  llnme? 

"A  word  that's  fitly  spoken,"  said  Solomon  of  old, 

"Is  like  pictures  of  silver  in  apples  of  fine  gold." 

Kind  words  and  kinder  actions  will  tame  the  wildest  heart. 

And  to  the  wayward  spirit  the  healing  balm  impart. 

When  clouds  of  sullen  darkness  shall  overcast  your  way. 
And  fears  that  you  in  sadness  may  be  a  castaway, 
Then  view  the  silver  lining  that  shineth  tlirougli  the  gloom, 
Just  like  the  resurrection  that  dawns  ujwn  the  tt)mb. 

And  wiien  the  threads  of  silver  may  deck  your  aged  brow. 
Be  your  frame  bent  with  labor  and  vigor  waning  low, 
The  silver  cord  be  loosened,  the  cistern  nearly  dry. 
Lift  up  your  heads  rejoicing,  redemption  draw^eth  nigh. 

Still  blow  the  trump  of  silver  and  warn  the  world  of  sin. 
And  gather  up  the  lost  ones,  a  bride  for  Jesus  win, 
Go  rescue  men  and  women  from  rum's  bewitching  sjiell. 
And  drive  the  li(iuor  demon  down  to  the  lowest  hell. 


62  SOXdS.    ll^MNS     AND     I'OEMS. 

Now,  in  the  conclusion  1  bid  you  twain  farewell, 
And  pray  that  God's;  pure  spirit  may  always  with  you  dwell ; 
Your  life  be  tilled  witli  usefulness  till  evening  time  shall  come 
And  angels  take  your  spirits  to  your  immortal  liome. 


Practical  Thoughts  For  the  Workers. 


Have  you  looked  for  my  sheep  in  the  desert. 

For  those  who  have  wandered  away? 
Have  you  been  in  the  wild  waste  places 

Where  the  lost  and  wandering  stray? 
Have  you  trodden  the  loneliest  highway, 

The  alleys  and  the  darkest  of  streets? 
It  may  be  you  would  liear  them  bleating, 

Or  see  some  of  the  prints  of  their  feet. 

Have  ever  you  folded  to  your  bosom 

Some  feeble  and  trembling  poor  lamb, 
And  warmed  into  life  when  near  frozen, 

As  kindly  good  shepherds  only  can? 
Have  you  searched  for  tlie  poor  and  the  needy. 

With  no  clothing,  no  home,  and  no  bread? 
For  .Tesus  was  once  surely  like  tliem, 

And  had  not  whei-e  to  lay  his  liead. 

Have  you  carried  the  living  waters, 

To  the  parclied  and  thirsty  soul? 
Have  you  told  to  the  sick  and  wounded, 

Christ  Jesus  now  maketh  thee  whole? 
Have  you  told  to  my  poor  fainting  children 

Of  tlie  strength  of  the  dear  Father's  hand? 
Have  you  guided  the' slow  tottering  footste|)S 

To  the  shores  of  that  beautiful  land? 

Have  you  stood  by  the  sad  and  the  weary 

To  smooth  the  dark  i)illow  of  death. 
And  comfort  the  sorrow  stricken. 

And  strengthen  their  trembling  faith? 
And  have  you  not  felt  by  tlie  glory 

That  streamed  through  that  bright  open  door, 
And  flitted  so  brightly  before  you, 

Tliat  I  had  oft  been  there  before? 


I5Y    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  63 

Changing  From  Youth  To  Age. 


Days  of  my  youth,  ye  ai-e  gliding  away, 
Tliouglits  of  my  youth,  ye  liavo  led  me  astray. 
Eyes  of  my  youth,  ye  mucli  evil  liave  seen, 
Cheeks  of  my  youth,  bathed  in  tears  ye  have  been, 
Heart  of  my  youtli,  thou  hast  oft  s\velh>d  witli  grief 
And  sought  in  religion  the  balm  of  relief. 

Friends  of  my  youth,  whom  I  tenderly  loved, 
Scenes  of  my  youth  where  in  cliildhood  I  roved. 
Birds  of  my  youtli  with  plumage  so  gay, 
Joys  of  my  youth,  ye  have  llown  far  away, 
Fields  of  my  youth  where  tlie  wild  cherry  grew. 
Home  of  my  youtli,  I  must  bid  you  adieu. 

Groves  of  my  youlii  in  whose  cooling  siiade 
On  my  low  bended  knees  many  vows  I  have  made. 
Woods  of  my  youth  where  the  wild  pigeons  sing. 
Lanes  of  my  youth  where  I've  wandered  in  spring. 
Ye  hedges  and  hawthorns  and  scenes  wild  and  new^ 
And  joys  of  my  youth,  I  now  bid  you  adieu. 

Days  of  my  age.  ye  will  siiortly  be  passed, 
Pains  of  my  age,  yet  awhile  can  ye  last. 
Eyes  of  my  age,  be  religion  your  liglit, 
Joys  of  my  age,  in  true  wisdom  delight. 
Thouglits  of  my  age,  dread  ye  not  tlie  cbld  clod, 
Hopes  of  my  age,  be  ye  fixed  upon  (lod. 


Playing  the  Fool  For  Beer. 


I  knew  a  meclianic,  a  blacksmith  by  trade. 
Whose  honest  industry  was  on  the  up-grade  ; 
And,  yet,  with  some  others  then  liviTig  quite  near. 
Commenced  tlie  bad  liaiiit  '•plaiiinjj  pool  for  atronr/  heer.'' 

His  wife  oft  olijected  to  his  staying  so  long 

And  lioped  he  would  quit  it,  the  habit  was  wrong. 

But  he  carelessly  told  her,  with  a  half  suppressed  sneer. 

"1  stopped  but  a  moment  to  play  pool  for  strong  beer." 


6a  songs,  hvmxs  axd  poems, 

He  had  a  young  daugliter,  a  bright  little  tiling, 
As  sweet  and  as  lovely  as  the  birdies  of  s])ring, 
Who  looked  up  and  asked  so  kind  and  sincere, 
"How  do  you,  dear  papa,  play  fool  for  strong  beer?" 

'I  did  nor  say  fool,"  the  father  then  said, 

"But  pool,  you  dear  creature,"  witli  a  shake  of  his  head. 

Yet  liis  innocent  daughter  could  never  say  pool, 

And  in  her  sweet  ])rattle  would  always  say  fool. 

One  night  he  came  home  all  discouraged  in  soul, 
The  last  dime  was  wasted  in  the  deep  flowing  bowl, 
And  gloomily  said  lie  had  nothing  to  do. 
Completely  o'erwhelmed  with  sadness  and  woe. 

At  this  his  dear  daughter,  beholding  his  woe, 
Came  u])  tlien  iiuiuiring,  "Have  you  nothing  to  do? 
I  am  sure,  my  dear  papa,"  she  said  with  a  tear, 
"You  can  yet  go  and  ])lay  fool  for  strong  beer." 

"(),  yes,  little  angel,  that's  just  what  I'm  doing: 
I've  acted  the  fool,  it  has  led  me  to  ruin, 
But  from  this  time  and  onward,  my  sweet  little  dear, 
I'll  never  again  play  fool  for  strong  beer." 


(3n  Laying  a  Corner  Stone. 

At  Shelbyville.  Illinois. 
In  the  name  of  our  Father  and  Jesus  His  son. 
We  lay  in  our  Zion  this  chief  corner-stone — 
An  emblem  of  jiurity,  kindness,  and  love, 
And  trust  it  may  lead  to  the  mansions  above. 

We  build  not  this  temple  of  worship  below, 
To  gratify  pride,  ambition,  or  show; 
But  heeding  the  voice  of  humanity's  call. 
We  erect  this  chapel  to  benefit  all. 

This  house  will  be  free  as  the  air  that  we  breathe, 
As  free  as  the  zephyr.-  that  float  on  the  breeze. 
As  free  as  the  sunlight  on  a  beautiful  moi-n, 
Or  the  sparkling  dew-drop  on  the  low  bending  corn. 

No  human  inventions  or  dogmas  of  men 
Will  here  be  presented  for  people  to  sign  ; 
But  the  teachings  of  .Tesus,  so  simple  and  mild, 
Full  of  love  and  compassion  and  truth  unbeguiled. 


15V    ELDER    JOHN     EI, LIS.  6:; 

These  halls  will  be  open  to  tlie  lonely  and  sad. 
The  weary  flndi-est  and  the  mourner  made  glad, 
The  widow  and  orphan  be  healed  of  their  grief, 
And  penitent  seekers  find  speedy  relief. 

And  all  wlio  are  weary,  heavy  laden  with  sin. 
Are  willing  to  be  washed  in  the  fount  and  be  clean, 
And  heed  the  instructions  of  Christ  in  His  word. 
Will  here  find  a  welcome  in  the  house  of  the  Lord. 

The  erring  and  sinful,  however  low  down, 
Will  here  be  assisted  in  tlieir  struggles  with  sin- 
In  the  language  of  Jesus  to  the  woman  of  yore, 
"I'll  not  condemn  thee,  don't  sin  any  more." 

Little  eliildren  will  meet  here  in  long  years  to  come, 
While  we  who  are  building  shall  sleep  in  the  tomb  ; 
To  here  say  their  lessons  and  joyfully  sing. 
As  sweet  and  as  lovely  as  the  songsters  of  spring. 

In  the  name  of  our  Father  we  now  lay  this  stone. 
And  pray  for  His  blessing  through  Jesus  His  son. 
And  dedicate  all  through  the  spirit  of  grace 
To  the  cause  of  humanity,  reformation,  and.  peace. 


Sacred  to  Harriet  Amelia. 


When  twilight  dews  were  falling  fast, 

O'er  woodland  and  o'er  sea, 
^ly  thoughts,  dear  loved  one,  often  rest, 

With  pure  deliglit  on  thee. 
I  see  thee  in  the  dew  drop  bright. 

In  fading  hues  of  even  ; 
I  see  thee  in  the  stars  of  night, 

The  sparkling  orbs  of  heaven. 

There's  not  a  garden  walk  I  tread, 

There's  not  a  flower  I  see,  • 

But  brings  to  mind  some  liope  that's  tied. 

Some  joy  I've  lost  in  thee  ; 
We  miss  thee  here  in  every  spot. 

At  morning,  noon,  and  even. 
But,  dearest  one,  we  murmur  not, 

We  soon  will  meet  in  heaven. 


66  SONGS.    HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Thy  parents  oft  with  tears  will  stand, 

Beside  thy  grave  an  hour, 
Thy  little  brothers,  hand  in  hand, 

AVill  strew  thy  bed  with  flowers  ; 
But  thou  wilt  sleep  so  sweetly  there, 

For  that  to  thee  is  given  ; 
'Twere  wrong  to  shed  one  mournful  tear 

For  such  find  rest  in  heaven. 


An  Instructive  Dream. 


I  dreamed  the  county  fair  was  in  successful  blast, 
Exhibiting  the  products  of  tlie  present  and  the  past. 
And  aged  sires  and  matrons,  fair  maidens  and  young  men. 
Were  there  in  magic  numbers,  according  to  my  dream. 

The  farmers  brought  their  cattle,  their  horses  and  their  sheep. 
Their  mules,  their  swine,  and  poulti-y,  their  corn,  their  oats,  and  wheat- 
Mechanics  hall  was  crowded  with  buggies,  plows,  and  spades. 
With  reapers,  drills  and  harrows  of  every  sort  and  grade. 

And  floral  hall  was  blooming  with  flowers  and  plants  and  fruit — 
Arranged  with  taste  and  beauty,  the  varied  minds  to  suit. 
And  patent  right  inventions  to  aid  us  in  our  toil. 
From  coffee-mills  and  engines  to  electric  light  and  oil. 

And  needle  work,  ingenious,  of  every  hue  and  sort. 
With  rare  and  beauteous  wax  flowers  and  other  curious  arts, 
With  bread  and  cakes  and  biscuit   and  honey  in  the  comb, 
And  jells  and  tarts  and  candies  and  butter  from  the  churn. 

And  while  I  saw  the  products  of  garden,  field,  and  farm, 
Together  with  the  treasures  of  factories,  mills,  and  mines, 
I  spoke  to  a  rumseller  that  then  was  standing  near, 
To  know  what  he  would  offer  to  aid  our  county  fair. 

He  pointed  me  to  widows  and  orphans  full  a  score, 

Whom  he  had  plundered  often,  then  left  them  very  poor — 

He  also  showed  some  specimens  of  his  peculiar  arts, 

Of  blasted  hopes  and  prospects  and  wounded,  broken  hearts — 

A  lot  of  ruined  young  men  and  boys  in  saddest  plight. 
All  stained  in  blood  and  infamy,  an  awful  sickening  siglit, 
And  convicts  from  the  prisons  and  from  the  county  jails 
Ciime  looming  up  in  sadness  with  most  heart  rending  wails. 


nv    ELDER    JOHN     EI.LIS. 

A  score  of  raving  maniacs,  whose  reason  was  detlu-oned, 
Api)eared  upon  the  fair  ground  and  raved  and  wept  and  moaned, 
AVith  idiots  and  imbeciles  and  fallen  women  too, 
And  thieves  and  drunken  rowdies,  a  most  debasing  crew. 

The  dire  delirium  tremens  had  seized  one  victim  there, 
Who  raved  in  maddened  frenzy  and  tore  his  tangled  hair, 
He  cursed  the  world  around  him.  he  cursed  his  God  beside, 
He  cui'sed  his  wife  and  children,  then  cursed  his  soul  and  died. 

And  while  I  saw  the  ruin,  the  anguish,  tears  and  blood, 

My  spirit  moved  within  me,  I  trembled  as  I  stood, 

And  asked  the  hardened  rumseller,  "Is  this  the  work  you're  doing, 

Thus  crushing  human  hopes  and  dragging  souls  to  ruin?" 

I  then  resolved  more  firmly,  whate'er  to  me  befell, 
I'd  fight  the  liquor  demon  and  drive  him  down  to  hell. 
So  then,  all  legal  voters,  on  you  I  loudly  call. 
To  vote  for  Prohibition,  and  do  it  sui-e  this  fall. 


To  Her  Afflicted  Parents. 


The  owner  of  this  album  is  gone. 
The  dear  little  creature  has  Med, 

She  slumbers  in  yonder  lone  tomb. 

Is  numbered  among  the  pale  dead. 

Amanda  was  pleasant  and  kind 

And  sw^eet  as  the  zephyrs  of  May — 

Her  little  but  innocent  mind 

Was  as  bright  as  the  sun  at  noonday. 

Her  cheeks  were  like  roses  in  bloom, 
Her  eyes  were  expressive,  not  bold, 

Her  lips  were  sweeter  than  perfume 
Arising  fi-om  altars  of  gold. 

The  stroke,  0,  how^  cruel  it  seems ! 

The  dear  little  creature  must  fall 
And  moulder  in  yon  silent  urn  ; 

But  that  is  the  fate  of  us  all. 

Then  hush  such  emotions  as  these  ! 

Why  mourn  although  she  is  gone? 
Herbarciue  is  not  tossed  on  the  seas. 

Or  beaten  by  life's  chilling  storm. 


68  SON(;S,   HYMNS    AXD    I'OEMS, 

Her  spirit  has  flown  to  the  skies 
With  angels  forever  to  reign  ; 

All  tears  are  now  wiped  from  her  eyes, 
She  will  never  suffer  again. 


[ngratitude,  Or  a  Box  Of  Gold. 


His  locks  were  white  and  glistening,  his  form  was  bent  with  years, 
His  eyes  w-ere  dim  with  seeing,  and  oft  suffused  with  tears. 
His  heart  was  sad  and  lonely  and  yet  he  cheerful  seemed 
As  from  his  careworn  features  the  rays  of  sunshine  beamed. 

His  faithful,  true  companion  had  sunk  into  the  grave 
And  left  him  all  alone  tlie  storms  of  life  to  brave — 
His  children  too  had  left  him,  had  families  of  their  own. 
And  oft  he  sighed  I'or  sympathy  wliile  journeying  on  nlone. 

To  gratify  his  children,  he  gave  to  them  his  lands, 
His  mortgages  and  chattels  and  all  within  his  hands  ; 
And  went  to  live  among  them,  but  soon  saw  his  mistake, 
For  all  their  solemn  jn-omises  were  only  made  to 'break. 

They  called  him  old  and  clumsy  and  always  in  the  way. 

Said  he  was  cross  and  peevish,  and  more  so  every  day. 

And  hoped  he  soon  would  leave  tliem,  they  really  wished  him  dead. 

His  days  on  earth  were  ended,  he  in  tlie  church  yard  laid. 

Some  had  no  room  to  keep  him,  for  their  large  house  was  small. 
While  others  did  not  wish  him  for  reasons  clear  to  all ; 
Then  life  became  a  burden  and  he  was  sore  distressed 
To  witness  their  ingratitude  and  cruelty  expressed. 

So  in  his  sad  perplexity  he  called  upon  a  friend 
And  told  him  all  his  troubles  from  beginning  1o  the  end  ; 
And  asked  if  he  could  tell  liim  what  course  he  should  pursue. 
To  change  his  thankless  children  and  make  tliem  kind  and  true. 

"I'll  tell  thee,  neighbor  Samuel,  what  thee  had  better  do. 
To  make  thy  pathway  smoother  and  children  kind  and  true. 
Take  this  small  box  of  mammon,  thee  sees  'tis  full  u(  gold, 
I've  kept  it  many  seasons  to  aid  when  I  am  old. 

"Go  call  on  all  thy  children,  and  in  a  careless  way. 

To  gratify  the  little  ones  just  show  it  day  by  day. 

And  let  them  see  the  pieces  and  count  tliem  o'er  and  o'er, 

And  tell  them,  if  thee  pleases,  there  are  as  many  more." 


I'.Y     KLDEK    JOHN     KT.l.rS.  6c) 

So  pleased  with  tlie  instruclidn  of  liis  peeulinr  fi-i(Mi(l. 
He  takes  the  box  of  shining  dust,  which  lie  saw  lit  to  lend  ; 
And  followed  the  instruction  to  sliow  it  all  around, 
Then  toolc  it  back  in  safety  to  wiiere  it  was  lirst  found. 

The  strategy  was  jjotent,  it  worked  a  perfect  charm, 
And  changed  theii-  cold  neglect  to  treatment  kind  and  warm  ; 
Each  house  was  free  and  open  for  the  dear  old  aged  form, 
Witli  lots  of  room  and  clothing  to  keep  grandpajia  warm. 

The  time  now  jiassed  on  pleasantly,  his  sun  of  life  was  clear, 
And  each  vied  with  each  other  his  aged  heart  to  cheer, 
Till  death  came  to  release  him  from  earthly  toil  and  glooin. 
And  lay  his  sacred  ashes  down  iti  the  silent  tomb. 

Then  came  the  anxious  inquiry  about  that  box  of  gold, 
For  who  had  got  the  treasure  no  one  could  then  unfold  ; 
And  each  accused  the  other  and  all  tlie  charge  denied. 
And  floods  of  consternation  came  in  on  every  sid(\ 

At  length  our  friend,  the  (Quaker,  came  in  to  their  relief. 
And  told  them  all  about  it  ^nd  of  their  father's  grief, 
And  how  they  had  neglected  him  with  cruel  hearts  and  cold. 
Until  deceived  by  lucre  — that  box  of  shining  gold 

Now  learn  this  wholesome  lesson  and  teach  the  multitude 
That  nothing  cuts  so  keenly  as  our  ingratitude — 
And  when  you  get  a  favor  from  either  God  or  man. 
Be  mindful  for  the  blessing  and  thankful  for  (lie  same. 

Be  gentle  to  the  aged  ones  and  treat  them  kindly  here, 
Especially  your  parents  who  watched  your  tender  years  ; 
And  smooth  the  way  before  them  as  they  are  growing  old, 
And  you  will  find  it  better  than  that  small  box  of  gold. 


Lines  On  Beino-  Shut  Out  of  Love  Feast. 


(Not  hate  feast.) 

The  last  of  I\Iay,  it  being  fair, 
The  sky  sei-ene  and  pure  the  air. 
I  to  the  house  of  Ciod  did  go. 
The  sacred  truth  that  I  might  know  ; 
And  as  T  ])assed  along  the  way 
The  little  birds  did  seem  to  say, 
"Our  God  is  good  and  we  will  sing 


SONGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Tlie  growing  empire  of  our  king." 
But  when  I  reached  the  sacred  place 
Where  Jesus  sliows  His  shining  face, 
Tlie  doors  were  closed  against  me  there 
Tliat  I  might  worship  God  elsewhere. 
"Our  rules  are  good,"  they  said  to  me, 
"The  reason  why  you  cannot  see, 
But  if  you'll  bow  unto  our  creed, 
You'll  find  it  blessed  good  indeed." 
"Now  let  me  know  the  reason  why 
Your  meeting  here  I  can't  enjoy? 
The  cheerful  birds  in  yonder  bower 
Are  willing  all  the  world  should  hear  ; 
And  if  the  songster  in  the  bower. 
Is  willing  every  one  should  hear. 
Why  be  contracted  in  your  views, 
And  the  blest  lamp  of  light  refuse? 
Go  learn  a  lesson  from  the  birds. 
Who  tune  their  harps  to  ])raise  the  Lord, 
And  be  more  liberal  in  your  mind, 
And  h)ve  the  saints  of  every  kind." 


Prohibition. 


I  am  a  thorough  going  temperance  man, 
The  condition  and  uses  of  the  world  I  scan, 

And  I  pity  its  sad  condition  ; 
The  fountain  of  drink,  I'd  forever  dry. 
And  stop  the  How,  cut  off  the  supply  ; 

And  tliis  is  prohibition. 

When  1  see  a  baker  so  badly  bold 
That  in  every  loaf  of  bread  he  sold. 

There  was  poison  in  secret  glutition, 
I'd  oven  him  uj)  in  stone  walls  four, 
Where  he  would  peddle  out  death  no  more, 

And  this  is  prohihition. 

If  I  found  a  butcher  in  Market  street. 
Selling  his  customers  impure  meat, 

The  infamous  son  of  perdition, 
I'd  stall  him  where  his  meat  would  be  sure. 
His  bread  all  plain  and  his  drink  all  pure. 

And  this  is  prohiln'tion. 


I?V    KLDEK    JOHN    ELLIS. 

If  I  knew  of  a  serpent  hid  in  tlie  grass, 

Who  was  sure  to  bite  every  one  as  they'd  pass, 

I'd  crush  his  thirsty  ambition  ; 
For  an  iron  heel  on  his  head  1  would  bring. 
And  ci'ush  out  his  life  witli  its  poisonous  sting, 

And  this  is  prohibition. 

If  I  had  a  dog  that  was  wont  to  bite. 

And  worry  my  neighbors  by  day  and  by  niglit, 

I'd  h'x  him  by  demolition  ; 
For  in  spite  of  liis  wagging,  his  yelps,  or  his  fears, 
I'd  cut  off  his  tail  close  up  to  his  ears, 

And  this  is  prohibition. 


Advice  to  My  Brother  C.  B.  Ellis. 


You  have  labored  long  and  faithful  in  summer,  winter,  spring, 

And  have  been  quite  successful  in  almost  everything; 

You  have  a  liome  of  plenty  with  everything  to  eat, 

Then  why  not  take  your  comfort  and  rest  youi-  weary  feet? 

Your  boys  are  fixed  up  nicely,  a  grand  good  start  in  life. 
And  Emma,  good  and  handsome,  may  soon  become  a  wife ; 
And  lovely  little  Marion,  so  beautiful  and  bright, 
Can  live  with  her  dear  papa,  she  has  a  perfect  right. 

Your  form  is  bent  with  labor  and  silver  threads  do  show, 
And  Lucy  oft  gets  weary,  she  has  so  much  to  do ; 
Then  rent  your  many  acres  to  some  good  faitliful  maTi, 
And  take  the  world  more  easy  as  you  now  ought,  and  can. 

Invite  your  friends  and  neighbors  to  attend  a  public  sale. 
And  sell  your  plows  and  harrows,  your  wagons,  cows  and  i)ails. 
Keep  one  good  horse  and  buggy,  and  one' good  milking  cow; 
Dispose  of  all  your  cattle,  likewise  the  pigs  and  sow. 

Then  visit  all  your  kindred  and  all  the  friends  you  please, 

Go  see  the  works  of  nature  and  California  trees  ; 

And  call  on  Zephaniali  as  you  do  pass  along. 

And  don't  neglect  the  writer,  your  worthy  brother  John. 

Obtain  good  books  and  papers  and  take  more  time  to  read, 
And  cultivate  your  intellect  and  scatter  precious  seed  ; 
Fill  up  your  days  with  usefulness  while  here  on  earth  you  roam, 
Tlien  meet  the  approbation  of  "AVell  and  I'aitliful  done." 


SOXGS,    HYMNS    AX  I)    POEMS, 

Written  at  the  Home  of  Mrs.  Lydia  Hay  ward. 


I  called  at  the  house  of  the  mourner  below, 

I  entered  the  mansion  of  grief; 
The  tears  of  deep  sorrow  most  freely  did  flow, 

I  tried,  hut  could  give  no  i-elief. 

There  sat  a  lone  widow,  dejected  and  sad. 

By  affliction  and  sorrow  oppressed  ; 
And  there  were  her  children  in   mourning  arrayed, 

And  sighs  were  escaping  their  breasts. 

I  spoke  to  the  widow  concerning  her  grief, 

And  asked  her  the  cause  of  her  woe, 
And  if  there  was  nothing  to  give  her  relief, 

Or  sooth  her  deep  sorrow  below. 

8he  looked  at  lier  children,  then  looked  upon  me — 

That  look  I  shall  never  forget — 
More  eloquent  far  than  a  seraph  could  be, 

It  spoke  of  the  trials  she  met. 

"  The  hand  of  affliction  falls  lieaviiy,  now, 
I'm  left  witli  my  children  to  mourn  ; 

The  friend  of  my  youth  lies  silent  and  low. 
In  yonder  cold  grave-yard  alone. 

"  But  why  should  I  murmur,  or   feel   to  complain, 

Or  think  that  my  portion  is  hard? 
Have  I  met  with  affliction?     'Tis  surely  his  gain. 

He  has  entered  the  joys  of  liis  Bord." 


Sad  and  Pleasant  Memories. 


"Bemember,  in  tliy  life  time  the  good  things  had  in  store. 
While  at  thy  gate  poor  Bazarus  lay  helpless,  sick,  and  sore ; 
But  now  in  dee])est  torment  thy  thankless  soul  is  cast, 
And  he  in  Abram's  bosom  has  found  a  liome  at  last." 

Thus  spake  the  voice  of  Abram  to  Dives  in  the  flames, 
Who  asked  a  drop  of  water  to  ease  his  dreadful  pains. 
Thus  teaching  us  the  lesson  that  memory  is  not  dead, 
Tliough  earthly  forms  may  perish  and  in  the  dust  be  laid. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN     EKEIS. 

Could  Cain  but  once  forget  that  awCuI,  piercing  sound, 
The  blood  of  righteous  Abel  now  crying  from  the  ground  ; 
Of  Judas  not  remember  his  treachery  and  sin, 
As  he  betrayed  the  Master  for  selfish,  sordid  gain. 

Could  those  who  slew  tlie  martyrs  forget  tlieir  awful  crime, 
Nor  liear  tlie  plaintive  pleading  for  mercy  at  their  hands  ; 
Could  Herod  not  remember  the  many  children  slain, 
To  gratify  ambition  that  rankled  in  liis  brain. 

Or  if  from  all  our  memories,  our  sins  could  be  erased, 
And  all  our  misdemeanors  and  follies  be  etTaced, 
We  never  more  remember  our  wickedness  and  strife, 
What  loads  of  condemnation  would  be  removed  from  life. 

"But  remember,  O,  remember!"  is  written  in  the  text, 
And  man  cannot  erase  it  in  this  life  or  the  next ; 
The  actions  of  our  past  life,  to  us  will  all  appear. 
And  vivid  recollections  will  sink  us  in  desjjair. 

But  if  our  sins  are  canceled,  in  Christ  are  washed  away, 
The  book  of  God's  remembrance  be  balanced  in  that  day ; 
How  sweet  the  recollections,  to  us  will  then  appear, 
Of  deeds  of  love  and  kindness  and  good  accomplislied  Jiere. 

If  we  have  clothed  the  naked,  and  fed  the  hungry  here, 
Have  entertained  the  stranger,  and  wiped  the  falling  tear. 
Also,  created  sunshine  in  some  desponding  heart, 
Obeyed  ouv  Lord  and  Master  and'  sought  (he  better  part- 
Have  visited  the  widow  and  orphan  in  distress. 
And  cheered  the  sad  and  lone  ones,  in  this  dark  wiidernc^ss; 
If  we  have  loved  our  Father,  and  all  liis  children  here, 
What  glorious  recollections,  to  us  will  then  appear. 

If  we  have  fought  the  evils,  that  curse  the  human  race. 
And  battled  for  the  right,  in  every  way  anil  place, 
Have  thrown  our  moral  inllucnce   against  each  flagrant  wrong, 
We  will  then  be  applauded  with,  "Well  and  fait  hful  done  !" 

Purified  by  the  Fire.s  of  Affliction. 


/.T 


There  are  moments  in  life  when  the  spirit  is  sad 
And  the  heart  to  desponding  is  given. 

When  we  in  the  fires  of  affliction  are  tried. 
To  fit  and  reline  us  for  heaven. 


fjA  SONGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

The  loved  ones  of  earth  ai'e  taken  away, 
"Which  fills  our  sad  spirit  with  sorrow, 

But  in  our  affliction  we  hear  Jesus  say, 

"You'll  meet  them  again  on  tlie  morrow." 

The  vile  tongue  of  slander  may  tarnish  our  fame, 
And  fill  us  with  deepest  of  sadness, 

But  Christ  will  protect  us  from  all  sorrow  and  shame, 
And  crown  our  lone  spirit  with  gladness. 

Our  friends  may  forsake  us  and  our  foes  all  unite, 
And  earth  may  appear  to  us  dreary. 

Yet,  the  storm  will  be  tempered  to  eaeli  tender  lamb 
And  heaven  give  rest  to  the  weary. 

Our  way  may  be  dark  and  our  sky  clouded  o'er, 
And  we  by  the  world  be  forsaken  ; 

Our  baniue  will  glide  safely  to  the  beautiful  sliore, 
Our  faitli  in  God's  word  be  mistaken. 

Look  uj)  then,  dear  pilgrim,  to  mansions  above, 
Be  sure  that  your  sins  are  forgiven, 

For  God  will  protect  thee  with  kindness  and  love 
And  take  tliy  tired  sj)irit  to  heaven. 


A  New  Year's  Hymn. 


Once  more  we  greet  a  New  Year's  day, 
The  old  is  gone,  has  passed  away  ; 
Its  joys  are  lost,  its  soi-rows  fled, 
And  one  and  ninety-three  are  dead. 
Its  sacred  scenes,  its  joyful  hours 
Have  faded  like  the  morning  flowers, 
And  while  we  hold  these  seasons  dear. 
We  greet  again  a  new  born  year. 

How  many  changes  thei-e  have  been  ! 
The  year  that  now  has  passed  and  gone 
In  eastern  lands  and  southern  climes. 
In  western  wilds,  o'er  northern  lines, 
Empires  have  trembled,  monarchsfell ; 
The  war-wlioops  heard  and  savage  yell ; 
Yet,  still  with  God  our  lives  are  dear, 
We  greet  again  a  new  born  year. 


TiY    ELDER    JOUX    EEI.IS.  75 

And  in  our  higlily  favored  land 
Wliere  trutli  and  freedom  boldly  stand, 
Where  light  and  love  and  virtue  shin<» 
With  brilliant  luster  all  divine. 
We've  had  afTlictions,  death  and  woe. 
Oppressive  cares  and  sickness  too, 
The  thought  of  which  calls  out  the  tear, 
As  we  now  greet  the  new  born  year. 

Some  lovely  friends  we  used  to  meet 

And  in  our  social  visits  greet, 

With  whom  we  wandered  in  the  spring 

To  hear  the  forest  songsters  sing ; 

'Mid  rural  scenes  to  spend  the  hour 

And  pluck  the  beauteous  wild  wood  llovver, 

Now  only  live  in  memory  dear, 

While  we  can  greet  the  new  born  year. 

How  many  sighs,  liow  many  tears, 
How  many  hopes,  liow  many  fears 
Have  crossed  our  path  and  marked  our  way 
Since  last  we  saw  a  New  Year's  day. 
But  wisdom's  voice  and  virtue's  ray 
Have  cheered  our  hearts  and  lit  our  way. 
And  Bethlehem's  bright  and  morning  Star 
Has  brought  us  through  anotlior  year. 


Dare  To  Say  iNo. 


Dare  to  say  "No"  when  you  are  tem])ted  to  drink 
Pause  for  a  moment,  my  boy,  and  think — 
Think  of  the  wrecks  upon  life's  ocean  tossed, 
For  answering  "Yes"  without  counting  the  cost. 

Tliink  of  the  mother  who  bore  you  in  pain. 
Think  of  the  tears  that  will  fall  like  rain  ; 


Think  of 
Think  of 

Think  of 
Think  o 
Think  o 


her  heart  and  how  cruel  the  blow, 
her  love  and  at  once  answer  "  No." 

the  hopes  that  are  drowned  in  the  bowl, 
the  danger  to  the  body  and  soul ; 
sad  lives  once  as  pure  as  the  snow, 


Look  at  them  now  and  at  once  answer  "  No." 


SOXGS,    HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Think  of  a  manhood  with  a  rum-tainted  breath, 
Think  how  the  glass  leads  to  sorrow  and  death. 
Tliink  of  the  liomes  now  shadowed  with  woe, 
Might  have  been  heaven  liad  the  answer  been  "  Xo." 

Think  of  the  lone  graves  both  unwept  and  unknown, 

Hiding  fair  hopes  that  were  as  fair  as  your  own  ; 

Think  of  proud  forms  now  forever  laid  low, 

That  still  might  have  been,  liad  they  learned  to  say  "  No." 

Think  of  the  demon  that  lurks  in  tlie  bowl, 

Driving  to  sin  both  body  and  soul ; 

Think  of  all  this  as  life's  journey  you  go. 

And  wlien  you're  assailed  by  the  tempter  say  "  No." 


A  Dream  of  the  Nio-ht. 


I  dreamed  a  dream  last  niglit, 

A  little  strange  and  rare. 
And  thought  tliat  I  was  sitting 

In  that  old  rocking  chair  ; 
And  Hardesty  and  Mattie, 

The  boys  and  Jacob  too. 
And  Lina  was  among  tliem, 

All  pleasant,  kind  and  true. 

Tlie  night  was  dark  and  dreary, 

I  heard  the  pattering  rain 
As  driven  by  tlie  wild  winds 

Agiiinst  tlie  vvindow  pane  ; 
Yet,  all  witliin  was  cheerful, 

And  kindly  words  were  said, 
And  pleasant  salutations 

As  we  retired  to  bed. 

But  tlien  before  retiring, 

We  bowed  the  knee  in  prayer, 
And  asked  our  heavenly  Father 

For  His  protecting  care  ; 
AVe  sang  the  songs  of  Zion, 

The  same  we  used  to  sing, 
Of  gates  and  walls  of  Jasper, 

And  Christ  our  heavenly  king. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN     KLEIS.  77 

On  the  Death  of  Our  Dear  Charley. 


Gone  to  thy  rest,  dear  boy, 

Thy  work  on  earth  is  ended, 
And  in  thy  everhistinghonie, 

Life,  peace  and  joy  are  blended. 

No  burning  sun  nor  wintry  storm 

Will  reach  tliy  ({uiet  rest ; 
No  pain  nor  death  nor  discontent 

Will  come  where  thou  art  blest. 

The  summons  from  the  spirit  world 

Was  thy  dear  Savior  calling, 
And  on  His  bi'east  and  in  His  arms 

You  have  no  fears  of  falling 

No  anxious  thoughts,  or  broken  heart, 

Nor  dim  nor  weeping  eyes. 
Will  ever  be  thy  portion  there, 

Where  nothing  ever  dies. 

There  all  is  bright  and  endless  life, 

Counts  neither  days  or  years. 
And  as  eternity  rolls  on. 

More  lovely  heaven  appears. 

Tliere  may  thy  brother  and  thyself. 

And  sisters  be  united  ; 
Where  love  and  flowers  will  ever  bloom. 

And  ne'er  by  deatli  be  blighted. 

And  may  thy  parents  so  believe 

In  Christ,  our  dearest  friend. 
That  they  through  Him  may  meet  with  thee. 

When  earthly  cares  shall  end. 


Favor,  Work,  Sing,  Pray  and  Vote  Prohibition. 


I  favor  prohibition  because  I  know  it's  right; 
It  works  a  revolution  amid  the  scenes  of  night. 
Abating  many  a  nuisance,  those  streams  of  sin  and  woe. 
And  wiping  tears  of  sadness  which  now  so  freely  How. 


^8  SONGS,    HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

I  work  for  prohibition,  and  work  with  all  my  might, 

And  feel  no  hesitation,  for  I  know  that  I  am  right ; 

It  takes  away  temptation  from  the  inebriate's  path 

And  saves  the  moderate  drinker  from  ruin,  shame  and  death. 

I  sivg  for  prohibition  a  sweet  melodious  song. 
And  trust  the  holy  angels  will  waft  the  strain  along ; 
For  they  are  interested  in  poor,  weak,  fallen  man, 
And  surely  will  assist  him  in  every  way  they  can. 

I  pray  for  prohibition  an  earnest,  fervent  prayer. 
That  God  may  save  the  young  men  from  rum's  seductive  snare  ; 
And  think  that  He  will  aid  us  with  wisdom  from  on  high. 
For  He  has  heard  the  widow's  and  orphan's  plaintive  cry. 

I  vote  for  prohibition  and  do  it  with  a  will, 
The  deadly  Bohon  Upas  I  am  resolved  to  kill ; 
And  bind  the  liquor  demon  in  prohibition's  chain, 
And  hurl  him  to  perdition,  forever  to  remain. 


A  Pleasant  Dream. 


I  dreamed  a  pleasant  dream  last  night, 
That  seemed  to  do  me  good  ; 

It  filled  my  heart  with  sweet  delight 
As  in  the  past  I  stood. 

I  thought  that  I  was  young  again, 
And  pressed  with  earthly  care  ; 

My  children  mingled  in  the  scene. 
Were  young  and  fresh  and  fair. 

My  boys,  with  satchels  in  their  hands. 
Were  going  to  the  school ; 

And  Mary  by  my  side  did  stand, 
A-singing  s\veet  by  rule. 

The  scene  then  clianged,  I  stood  alone, 
And  saw  three  little  mounds, 

And  names  upon  a  marble  stone, 
And  rose  leaves  scattered  round. 

And  as  I  grieved  in  pensive  mood, 
My  heart  with  anguish  riven, 

A  voice  then  seemed  to  say  to  me, 
You'll  meet  them  all  in  heaven. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  79 

Tlie  scene  tlieii  changed  with  me  again ; 

I  stood  in  the  house  of  prayer, 
Proclaiming  truth  to  dying  men, 

Exposed  to  long  despair. 

I  saw  the  weeping  woman  come 

And  bow  at  Jesus  feet, 
And  enter  in  while  there  was  room. 

Obtaining  joys  complete. 

I  preached  and  prayed  and  wept  and  sung. 

With  earnestness  of  heart ; 
While  many  on  my  preaching  hung. 

And  chose  the  better  part. 

But  in  the  midst  of  this  good  woi-lc. 

Which  did  so  real  seem, 
I  unexpectedly  awoke. 

And  lo  !  it  was  a  dream. 


On  Visiting  My  Native  Land. 


I  am  happy  to  meet  you  once  more  in  this  land. 

My  brethren  and  sisters  so  dear  ; 
Witli  pleasure  I  greet  you  and  offer  my  hand. 

In  Christian  affection  sincere. 

How  oft  we  have  met  here  in  days  past  and  gone. 
And  bowed  at  the  altar  of  prayer; 

And  mingled  our  voices  addressing  the  throne, 
For  blessings  to  rest  (m  us  here. 

The  aged,  the  younger,  both  parent  and  child. 
And  brothers  and  sisters  have  gone  ; 

The  vain  and  the  haughty,  the  gentle  and  mild, 
Have  sunli  in  the  dark,  dreary  tomb. 

Though  time  maketh  changes,  in  me  is  no  change, 

Religion  still  lies  neai"  my  heart ; 
The  truths  of  the  Gospel  to  me  are  the  same, 

And  witli  them  I  never  can  part. 

The  phitform  of  freedom  I  yet  stand  upon, 

-And  have  not  deserted  the  Lord  ; 
Tow'ard  Christian  perfection  am  pressing  along. 

And  love  all  the  pious  and  good. 


8o  SONGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Again  I  must  leave  you  and  bid  you  adieu, 
And  go  to  the  beautiful  west, 

To  publisli  salvation  in  parts  that  are  new, 
Inviting  the  weary  to  rest. 

Reluctant  I  leave  you  and  weep  as  I  go, 
To  think  that  I  from  you  am  riven. 

Yet  hope  while  the  tears  of  tenderness  How 
To  meet  all  the  loved  ones  in  heaven. 


Pure  and  Undefiled  Reliofion. 


There  is  on  earth  a  cheering  ray, 

To  pensive  mortals  given  ; 
Which  soothes  the  heart  fi'om  sorrow's  sway. 
And  drives  foreboding  fears  away, 

We  call  it  pure  religion. 

This  i)recious  gem  is  from  above. 

'Tis  not  a  mere  delusion, 
'Tis  not  a  dream,  but  perfect  love, 
A  shining  peai'l,  a  heavenly  dove, 

Are  types  of  pure  religion. 

It  calms  the  angry  storm  within, 

The  breasts  of  mourners  weeping, 
It  breaks  the  galling  yoke  of  sin. 
And  washes  mortals  white  and  clean  ; 
Oh,  this  is  pure  religion  ! 

It  gives  the  weary  pilgrim  rest, 

And  strength  in  each  temptation  ; 

It  helps  the  widow  in  distress, 

The  orphan  and  the  fatherless, 
O,  then  embrace  religion  ! 


The  Counter  Part. 


I  hate  this  prohibition,  although  it  may  be  right. 

And  will  suiely  fight  against  it  both  morning,  noon  and  night: 

It  takes  away  our  freedom  and  gives  us  sumptuary  laws. 

So  I  propose  to  fight  against  it  and  work  against  the  cause. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.      .  8l 

I  work  against  the  inarter,  yet  hesitate  somewhat, 
Because  my  conscience  tells  me  perhaps  I  better  not ; 
There  may  be  retribution  laid  up  in  store  for  me, 
For  tempting  boys  and  young  men  and  leading  them  astray. 

I  sing  to  prohibition  the  drunkard's  rowdy  song, 
And  know  that  all  the  demons  will  waft  the  song  along ; 
For  they  are  interested  in  what  we  aim  to  do. 
Corrupting  young  immortals  and  dragging  down  to  woe. 

T  don't  pi'aj'  for  prohibition,  don't   take  much  stock  in  ])rayer, 
If  men  will  go  to  ruin  it's  not  for  me  to  care ; 
If  they  are  not  strong  enough  to  shun  the  tempting  bowl. 
Why,  let  them  go  to  ruin  in  l)ody,  mind,  and  soul. 

I  vote  against  amendment,  my  liberty  is  at  stake, 

My  birth  right  of  freedom  shall  no  fanatic  take ; 

I  want  my  daily  rations,  will  vote  for  the  saloon, 

And  with  the  world  around  me  will  meet  my  awful  doom. 

I'll  drink  the  sparkling  liquid  just  where  and  when  I  will. 
And  take  it  like  the  porker  a-guzzling  down  his  swill ; 
I  have  a  right  to  drink  it  and  make  myself  a  fool. 
And  ruin  soul  and  body,  then  tumble  into  hell. 


riie  Answer  to  the  Foregoing. 


I  think,  dear  friend,  I  have  a  soul. 
As  taught  by  Christian  men  of  old, 
A  spiritual  something  briglit  and  fair, 
Xot  made  of  irater,  earth  or  air. 

A  living,  willing,  thinking  mind. 
For  moral  and  mental  ends  designed, 
A  something  called  the  "  inner  man," 
By  writers  of  the  gospel  plan. 

Possessing  conscience,  heart  and  love. 
And  moral  feelings  from  above. 
Will  live  with  Christ  in  Paradise, 
When  this  poor  mortal  body  dies. 

A¥e  call  it  not  immortal  soul, 
But  immaterial  as  a  whole, 
God  alone  hath  immortality, 
Dwelling  in  the  light — etennty. 


82  SONGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Now,  tell  me,  friends,  have  you  a  soul, 
A  spirit  deep  witliin  untold? 
Or,  are  you  like  the  beasts  that  roam. 
Composed  of  flesh  and  blood  and  bone ; 
And  like  tlie  brutes  will  live  and  die, 
Then  drop  in  vast  nonentity? 

But  as  for  me  give  me  a  soul, 
And  let  me  live  on  years  untold. 
Live  here  the  life  of  pure  Christianity, 
Then  enter  into  glorious  immortality. 


Fifty  Years  Ao;o. 


I'm  glad  to  meet  you  all,  dear  friends, 

Whom  I  have  met  before. 
And  preach  to  you  the  word  of  life, 

As  in  the  days  of  yore  ; 
Extend  the  hand  of  Christian  love. 

As  oft  we  used  to  do, 
When  I  was  with  you  in  this  place. 

Some  fifty  years  ago. 

We  preached  and  prayed,  we  wept  and  sunj 

And  labored  for  the  right ; 
And  gathered  precious  souls  to  Christ, 

Near  every  day  and  night ; 
We  saw  the  church  of  God  built  up, 

And  precious  seed  did  sow 
O'er  hills  and  valleys  in  this  land. 

Some  fifty  years  ago. 

But  what  a  change  we  now  behold 

Among  tlie  brethren  here  ! 
How  many  loved  ones  now  are  gone, 

For  whom  we  shed  a  tear ! 
I  think  of  ISIarvin,  Kote  and  Lane, 

And  J.  H.  Currier,  too; 
I  think  of  Harvey,  Row  and  Jones, 

Some  fifty  years  ago. 

Just  one  is  left,  and  only  one. 

Of  all  the  preachers  then. 
And  he  is  bowed  with  age  and  toil. 

His  race  is  nearly  run  ; 


15V    ELDER     JOHN    ELLIS.  83 

And,  yet,  ho  loves  the  Savior  si  ill, 

Is  gent  If,  kind  and  true, 
And  loves  tiie  trutli  we  used  to  preach. 

Some  fifty  years  ap,n. 

The  storms  of  lil'e  liave  bent  hi//  form. 

And  silver  threads  are  seen, 
But  still  my  faith  is  just  the  same. 

My  sjiirit  fresli  and  green. 
I  love  tlie  Lord,  I  love  His  word. 

Hove  my  brethren  too, 
And  preach  the  same  pure  gospel  now 

As  fifty  years  ago. 

Once  more  I  bid  you  all  adieu, 

And  leave  you  in  God's  care, 
And  hope  you'll  all  remember  me 

Before  the  throne  in  prayer. 
I  hoi)e  to  meet  you  all  again, 

Although  we  part  in  tears, 
In  Caanan's  fair  and  happy  land 

In  less  than  fifty  years. 


[iivitatioii  Hymn, 


When  the  dreamy  spell  is  broken, 

When  the  chai-m  of  sin  is  gone, 
Wlien  the  book  of  life  is  open, 

And  thou  standest  at  His  throne. 
What  will  be  thy  bitter  wailings, 

When  before  that  awful  bar? 
Prayers  and  tears  not  then  availing 

Thou  wilt  sink  in  deep  despair. 

Art  thou  aged?    Think  of  dying, 

Pause  and  view  the  silent  tomb  ; 
Pi'ecious  moments  swiftly  flying 

Soon  will  fix  thy  final  doom. 
Hast  thou  grieved  God's  holy  spirit, 

Spurned  the  Gospel  from  thy  heart? 
Oh,  return  through  Jesus'  merit. 

Seek  in  Christ  the  better  part ! 


Sa  songs,  hymns  and  poems, 

Youtlit'iil  friends,  the  Lord  is  calling. 

Saying,  "  Tuimi  ;  why  will  you  die?" 
Mercy  drops  around  are  falling, 

Jesus  Christ  is  passing  by. 
AVill  you  heed  the  invitation. 

That  to  you  in  love  is  given? 
Seek,  O,  seek  your  soul's  salvation, 

Leave  your  sins  and  fly  to  heaven  I 

Anxious  sinner  deeply  mourning, 

Weeping  o'er  thy  ruined  state, 
Will  you  heed  the  solemn  warning, 

Ere  with  you  it  be  too  late? 
Jesus  loves  a  contrite  spirit. 

Will  not  break  a  bruised  reed  ; 
He  will  save  you  through  His  merit, 

If  you  to  your  ways  take  heed. 

Has  thy  way  been  dark  and  dreary? 

Has  the  world  ungrateful  been? 
Hast  thou  oft  been  faint  and  weary. 

And  thy  pathway  strewn  with  sin? 
Is  thy  bosom  filled  with  sadness, 

And  despair  a  frequent  guest? 
0,  return  to  Christ  in  gladness; 

Enter  now  into  His  rest.  • 


nvitation  Hymn. 


Dear  friends,  I  have  come  tu  invite  you 
To  leave  off  your  follies  and  turn  ; 

With  the  power  of  truth  would  excite  you, 
Before  you  in  torment  do  burn. 

C/(or/(.v— Turn!     Turn!     O,  turn ! 

Before  you  in  torment  do  burn. 

Oh  !  I  weep  when  I  view  your  condition, 
And  I  sigh  as  I  think  of  your  doom. 

Exposed  to  eternal  perdition. 
As  madly  in  folly  you  roam. 


BY    KLDEK    JOHN     EM.IS. 

You  will  tiiiiik  of  the  words  I  have  spoken, 

The  truth  to  you  I  declare  ; 
And  remember  the  vows  you  liave  broken, 

As  you  sink  in  tlie  niglit  of  despair. 

You  will  cry  for  the  rocks  and  the  mountains 
To  V)ury  you  deep  in  thfe  sand, 

Or  will  plunge  in  the  ocean's  dark  fountain, 
For  who  will  be  able  to  stand? 


At  the  Laying  of  the  Corner  Stone  of  Antioch  College. 

1852. 


"  Behold  in  fair  Zion  a  chief  corner  stone," 
Said  the  Savior — the  Lamb  that  was  slain — 

And  he  that  now  buildeth  his  hopes  tliereupon, 
Shall  never  be  moved  or  ashamed. 

The  !<tiiiic  which  the  builders  rejected  of  old, 

The  head  of  the  corner  became  ; 
The  "  shepherd  of  Israel,"  of  envy  was  sold, 

Yet  rescued  his  kindred  from  sliame. 

Seven  eyes  on  one  stone  by  the  i)rophet  were  seen — 

And  a  xtnin'  cried  out  of  the  wall ; 
The  "  stripling  of  Israel,"  with  a  stone  in  his  sjing, 

Caused  the  boasting  Goliah  to  fall. 

A  afdiie  from  the  mountain,  cut  witliout  hands, 
Broke,  in  pieces,  tlie  vile  "  man  of  sin," 

And  scattered  its  fragments  all  over  the  land — 
A  mighty,  great  mountain  became. 

The  Christians  are  built  upon  Christ  as  this  ^tone, 
The  Scriptures  they  take  as  their  guide ; 

Believing  the  people  of  God  should  be  one, 
Laying  party  distinctions  aside. 

A  temple  of  science  they  tliink  to  erect — 

We've  issued  already  the  call — 
To  favor  no  party,  no  nation,  no  sect. 

But  olTer  its  blessings  to  all. 


S6  SONGS,   HVMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Tho  name  of  our  terfiple  is  Antioch  College, 
At  the  famed  Yellow  Springs  it  will  stand ; 

And  each  generation  seeking  for  knowledge 
May  find  a  supplj'  in  the  land. 

And,  now,  in  the  name  of  Jeliovah  we  stand. 
Believing  in  Father  and  Son  ; 
With  the  ungarnished  truth — the  Bible  in  hand, 
We  here  lay  this  cliief  corner  stone, 


Parting  Hvmn. 


]S^ow  my  time  has  come  for  going — 

Now  my  heart  begins  to  swell, 
Willie  the  silent  tear  is  falling — 

Scarce  can  say:  "  My  friends,  farewell" — 
Yet,  farewell  to  each  believer. 

Where  my  God  commands  I'll  fly — 
We  must  part,  but  not  forevin- — 

We  shall  meet  beyond  the  sky. 

\Vliil(>  I  range  through  distant  regions, 

Far  fi-om  friends  1  hold  most  dear — 
A\'lii]e  o'er  souls  exposed  to  ruin. 

Oft  I  shed  the  anxious  tear; 
Still  my  heart  with  warm  emotion, 

Fondly  will  revert  to  you, 
Time  nor  distance  cannot  sever 

I\Ie  from  those  I  bid  adieu. 

Say  yoQ  will  your  feeblest  servant 

On  your  faithful  pinions  bear — 
Wlien  your  love  and  faith  are  fervent, 

Will  you  mention  me  in  prayer? 
Surely  on  my  mind  I'll  bear  you. — 

Though  I  may  far  off  remove — 
And  my  spirit  will  be  with  you. 

Till  we  take  our  seats  above. 


T?Y    Kl.DKK     JOHN    ELMS. 

lie  Overthrow  of  Nineveh. 


87 


Tlie  sun  .-irose  in  splciulor.  niul  vvitli  his  orient  lociis 
Illumed  the  face  <jf  nature,  on  Horeb's  mountain  walked  ; 
The  gentle  dews  of  ilermon  were  seen  at  early  morn. 
While  nature  smiled  serenely,  and  all  around  was  calm. 

The  villafic  sjiires  and  windows  of  splendid  Nineveh 
Were  blazing  Iti  the  morning,  by  i-^ol's  j-efulgent  rays; 
The  scenery,  too,  was  trancjuil  and  calm  as  silver  lake. 
When  not  a  breeze  was  stirring  to  make  its  waters  shake. 

The  king  w'as  clothed  in  scarlet,  and  costly  linen  fine. 
Arrayed  with  gold  and  jewels,  his  rubies  briglitly  shine  ; 
A  royal  diadem  his  wicked  temples  bore. 
While  thousands  fell  before  him,  his  favor  to  im]ilore. 

The  people  of  the  city  began  tlieir  morning  song — 
Their  music  sounded  sweetly,  the  halls  of  pleasure  rang; 
No  mortal  thought  of  sorrow,  or  of  a  gathering  storm. 
That  lowered  around  their  city,  to  mow  their  glory  down. 

But  now  we  see  a  Jonah,  sent  by  Almighty  God, 
Proclaiming  their  destruction  by  His  avenging  rod  — 
".lust  forty  days  from  this  time  your  destiny  you'll  know  ; 
The  God  of  judgmeTit  thunders  your  awful  overthrow. 

"Your  lofty  domes  and  steei)les,  that  tower  to  yonder  sky, 
Also  your  solid  fortresses,  that  human  power  defy. 
Shall  tuml)le  into  ruin— in  forty  days  shall  fail. 
Unless  you  all  repent,  and  now  for  mercy  call." 


Here,  pause  my  mus(>,  one  moment,  what  sound  is  this  I  heai-? 
Is  it  the  sound  of  music,  most  cliarming  to  my  ear? 
Ah  !  no  ;  'tis  the  cry  of  mourning— the  people  in  despair! 
Are  humbled  nair,  in  ashes,  and  sackcloth  made  of  hair. 

The  voice  of  six  score  thousand  is  heard  in  fervent  lu-ayer, 
Bewailing  their  condition,  and  saying:  "  Heaven  spare"— 
Their  prayers  were  most  ett'ectual,  they  reached  Jehovah's  ears, 
And  moved  Him  with  compassion— He  spared  them  forty  years. 


88  SOXGS.    HYMNS     A  XI)    POEMS, 

The  Singing  Evangelist. 

Prof.  J.   E.  MA  WES. 


Go  sing  tlie  precious  gospel  in  every  land  and  clime, 
Yes,  bear  the  heavenly  message,  in  melody  divine ; 
And  sing  it  with  the  "  Spirit  and  understanding,  too," 
Then  trust  in  .Testis'  merit  to  guide  you  safely  throtigh. 

Go  sing  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  sing,  lie  died  for  all — 

And  wrought  out  free  salvation,  for  each,  both  great  and  small. 

Go  sing  of  shining  mansions,  and  freedom  from  all  sin, 

If  we  obey  the  Savior,  and  "  strive  to  enter  in." 

There's  power  in  sacred  music  to  melt  the  hardened  soul — 
Subdue  the  heart  to  .Jesus,  and  make  the  wounded  whole — 
It  soothes  the  deepest  sorrow,  and  cheers  the  lonely  here, 
And  helps  us  bear  our  burdens,  and  wipes  the  falling  tear; 

Inspires  tlie  soul  with  ardor,  and  strengthens  all  the  weak, 
It  aids  the  gospel  preacher  as  he  goes  forth  to  speak ; 
Then  sing  of  our  Kedeemer — His  wondrous  love  to  men — 
And  gather  up  the  lost  ones,  now  in  the  depths  of  sin. 

May  Christ  be  ever  with  you,  and  fill  your  soul  with  love; 
May  neede(J  insj)iration  come  from  llie  courts  above; 
And  wlien  your  song  is  ended,  you  jo'n  the  blood-w^ashed  thronj 
If  we  forget  the  t<iu<j('i\  we'll  not  forget  the  song. 


Three  Little  Graves. 


In  thai  beautiful  land  of  bright  glory. 
Three  little,  loved  ones  are  seen, 

Kehearsing,  in  sweetness,  the  story, 
'Mid  fields  of  perennijil  green. 

These  three  sweet  babies  were  mine, 
They  cheered  our  lone  spirits  below, 

And  when  gathered  to  that  distant  clime, 
Our  tears,  of  deep  anguish,  did  flow. 

Like  a  bird  in  the  window  they  sang — 

Like  a  ilower,  in  our  garden,  tliey  bloomed- 

T,ike  an  angel  they  gladdened  our  home — 
Bel'ore  they  went  down  to  the  tomb. 


HV    ELDER    J(^IIN'    ELLIS.  89 

But  now  with  their  S-ivior  liiey  rest — 

Are  free  from  all  sorrow  and  pain — 
Reclining  on  Jesus'  dear  breast. 

They  never  will  suffer  again. 

Now,  tliree  little  crowns  ai-e  lu-eparid, 

And  three  little  liarjis,  i  ewly  strung— 
Now,  three  little  voices  are  heard 

In  singing  the  song  of  the  Lamb. 

Now.  tliree  little  angels  are  seer^ 

Yes,  three  ransomed  sj)irits  of  liglit — 
'Midst  sweetest  of  Howrets  they  bloom. 

Like  three  brilliant  stars  of  the  niglit. 

On  the  high  walls  of  Zion  ihey  stand, 

And  shine  like  the  sun  at  noonday; 
They  beckon  to  me  with  their  hands, 

Saying:  "  Father,  O  I  hasten  this  way." 

I  weep  not  for  those  who  are  gone. 

Though  from  my  sad  heart  they  are  riven  ; 

I'>ut  hope,  when  my  earth-work  is  done, 

I  shall  meet  these  dear,  loved  ones,  in  heaven. 


Shall  Not  Desert  the  Ministry. 


You  say  I'm  old  and  feeble — my  locks  are  tliin  and  gray ; 
And  ought  to  leave  the  pulpit — to  younger  men  give  way  ; 
Although  I  preach  like  heaven — my  voice  is  clear  and  strong — 
I'm  active  and  vigorous,  and  musical  in  song. 

I  also  love  the  Savior,  and  full  of  gos|)el  truth — 
Can  iJreach  as  well,  or  better,  than  in  the'days  of  youth — 
And  the  power  of  truth  is  with  me,  and  souls  are  gathered  in 
From  hedges  and  highways,  and  from  the  depths  of  sin. 

1  am  a  staunch  reformer,  clear  to  the  forvvaj-d  rank, 
And  favor  all  improvements,  and  yet  am  not  a  crank ; 
I  preach  up  Christian  union,  and  fervency  in  prayer, 
And  ask  for  all  the  graces  with  earnestness  and  care. 

The  harvest  fields  are  whitening,  and  faithful  reapers  few, 
Then  why  should  I  be  idle,  there  is  so  much  to  do? 
Should  I  not  preach  the  gospel,  and  preach  it  day  and  niglit, 
And  labor  in  the  vineyard,  and  work  with  all  my  might? 


90  SONGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

But,  tlien,  the  younger  preachers,  with  fairer  form  and  lace, 
Must  have  a  field  of  labor — are  wanting,  now,  my  place — 
They  are  graduates  of  college,  witli  classic  lore  and  Greek — 
Have  logic  and  fine  gestures,  and  know  just  how  to  speak. 

Did  Paul,  when  he  was  aged,  desert  the  gospel  field  ? 

And  to  the  noisy  clamor  for  young  men  ever  yield  ? 

When  Timothy,  and  Titus,  and  Barnabas  were  there, 

He  worked  with  tliem,  in  harmony,  to  aid,  instruct  and  cheer. 

So  I  design,  my  brother,  continuing  in  the  field, 
iSTor  to  your  (r/.sr  suggestion  do  I  proijose  to  yield. 
I  have  preached  the  ancient  Gospel  for  years,  almost  three  score, 
And,  by  the  Loi-d's  permission,  I  will  preach  it  sixty  more. 
1891. 


Opening-  Address." 


IXTRODUOTION. 

From  the  liills  and  the  valleys,  from  the  mountains  and  streams, 

From  the  scenes  of  our  labor  we  come  ; 
From  the  higliways  and  hedges,  the  streets  and  the  lanes, 

With  our  staff,  and  our  sandals  girt  on. 

The  bleak  winds  of  winter,  so  piercing  and  cold, 

And  hot  summer  suns  we  have  tried  ; 
To  gather  the  Lambs  unto  Jesus,  the  fold, 

And  seek  for  our  Master  a  Bride. 

With  a  spirit  undaunted  we  have  battled  for  riglit. 

And  shrunk  from  no  liardshi])  or  pain  ; 
The  afllictions  endured  we  liave  ct)unted  but  light, 

And  reckoned  our  losses  all  gain. 

At  the  couch  of  the  sick  and  the  dying  we've  knelt, 

And  mingled  our  S])irits  in  prayer ; 
For  suffering  liumanity  deeply  have  felt. 

As  we  brushed  off  the  grief-stricken  tear. 

While  we've  published  salvation  to  a  sin-ruined  world, 

And  lield  up  the  light  of  (xod's  word  ; 
The  banner  of  goodness  and  truth  have  unfurled. 

Many,  yea  many,  have  flocked  to  the  Lord. 


*Delivered  before  the  Miami  Christian  Conference,  at  its  annual  session,  held   at  Yellow  Springs,  Ohio, 
August  30,  1859. 


nv    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  9I 

']\[id  the  perils  of  lil'e,  .-ibove  iind  lieiieatli, 

And  the  dan^ei's  both  seen  and  unseen, 
The  Lord  has  preserved  from  sickness  and  deatii, 

Upholding  lis  V)y  His  I'iglit  liund. 

And  now  in  our  annua!  j^athering  we  mec^t, 

J>otli  laymen  and  ministers  too; 
And  thankful  onee  more  that  in  Conference  we  greet 

The  loved,  the  tried,  and  the  true. 

Old  men  for  counsel  and  yoinig  men  for  war, 

Is  a  maxim  that  Solomon  gave; 
And  as  we  look  round  we  may  see  them  all  here, 

The  old,  and  the  young,  and  the  brave. 

'Mid  the  duties  and  dangers  of  last  Conference  year, 

But  one  from  our  ranks  has  Vjeen  riven  ; — 
One  watchman  of  Zion,  held  sacred  and  dear, 

Has  left,  and  asc»>nded  to  heaven. 

His  widow  and  children  feel  lonely  and  sad. 

And  weep  as  we  mention  liis  name  ; 
The  Church  and  tiiis  Conference  truly  feel  bad, 

Yet  believe  that  our  loss  is  his  gain. 

His  seat  is  now  vacant— or  tilled  by  another — 

We  meet  him  in  Conference  no  more; 

« 

We  pause  here  one  moment — we  loved  that  dear  brother. 
Brother  Lad  ley  has  jiassed  on  befoi-e. 

May  w  isdom  direct  us  in  all  that  we  do, 

Ko  folly  or  sin  in  us  lurk  ; 
That  wlien  with  the  laboi-  of  C-onference  we're  through. 

Refreshed  ue  may  go  to  our  work. 

OUR     POSITION     ANn    DOCTUINE. 

We  call  ourselves  Chi-ist  iaiis,  not  anything  more. 
No  titles  succeeding  or  going  before  ; 
AVe  til  ink  it  most  natural,  it  leads  to  no  strife. 
For  Christ  is  oar  luisband  and  we  the  Lamb's  wife. 

We  give  not  the  glory  to  Cephas  or  Paul, 
Appollos  or  James,  for  Clirist  is  our  all  ; 
No  Wesley  or  Luther,  no  Calvin  or  Fox, 
AVe  claim  as  a  leader,  foundation  or  Kock. 


SONGS,    HYMXS     AND    POEMS, 

No  human  invention  of  platform  or  creed, 
We  take  as  a  standard  and  sacredly  heed  ; 
Our  creed  is  the  Bible,  the  Spirit  our  guide. 
All  Christians  our  bi'ethren — a  truth  undenied. 

The  doctrine  we  teach,  and  have  from  our  youth. 
Is  the  doctrine  of  Reason,  Revelation  and  Trutli, 
Unmixed  with  traditions  and  the  dogmas  of  men  ; 
As  pure  as  the  morning,  as  clear  as  the  sun. 

We  talk  of  no  three  all  mysteriously  one. 

Nor  think  that  our  Savior's  both  Father  and  Son  ; 

But  believe  in  one  God,  and  only  in  one. 

And  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man. 

The  teaching  of  Jesus, -the -example  He  set. 
The  miracles  wrought,  the  blood  and  the  sweat — 
His  sufferings  and  death,  as  He  bore  the  great  load, 
Was  the  atonement  He  made  to  bring  us  to  God. 

We  teach  that  the  chui'ch  of  Messiah  is  one. 
United  in  s^iirit  like  the  Father  and  Son  ; 
That  party  distinctions  forever  should  cease. 
And  saints  all  unite  as  dear  children  of  peace. 

We  advocate  liberty  of  conscience  throughout, 
Believe  in  a  free  interchanging  of  speech  ; 
Are  liberal  in  sentiment,  feeling  and  tliought, 
Designing  to  practice  the  doctrine  we  preach. 

Although  we  are  liberal  in  thought  and  in  deed, 
And  mean  to  be  free  from  bigotry's  chain  ; 
The  law  of  tlie  spirit  of  life  we  will  heed, 
Be  practical  Christians  without  and  within. 

The  life  is  w^hat  constitutes  Christians  with  us. 
Externals  are  trifling  when  with  it  compared  ; 
The  crown  we  seek  lies  under  the  cross  ; 
The  faithful  alone  for  heaven's  prepared. 

We  boast  not  of  members,  of  titles  or  fame. 
Nor  join  with  the  world  in  their  envy  and  strife  ; 
With  tlie  learned  and  the  great  we  scarce  have  a  name, 
Yet  rejoice  it  is  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life 


BY    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  93 

We  make  no  pretentions  to  smoothness  of  speech, 
Scholastic  divinity  by  us  is  abhorred  ; 
The  preaching  we  offer  is  not  out  of  reach, 
But  simple  and  easy,  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 

Enlightened  and  ])ious  our  ministers  are, 
The  banner  of  purity  having  unfurled  ; 
Though  lacking  in  polish,  not  lacking  in  power. 
For  truth  and  good  sense  we  challenge  the  world. 

THK    COLLEGE. 

There  are  moments  in  life  when  the  spirit  is  sad, 

And  tlie  heart  to  desponding  is  given  ; 
When  the  sky  is  o'ercast  and  the  flowers  all  fade. 

And  the  soul  truly  yearneth  for  heaven. 

There  are  feelings  we  haye  that  we  cannot  express, 

iSo  sad  is  the  spirit's  emotion  ; 
When  the  soul  is  o'erwhelmed  in  the  deepest  distress. 

Like  a  mariner  lost  on  the  ocean. 

There  are  thoughts  that  we  have  that  we  cannot  describe, 

When  the  loved  from  our  bosoms  are  riven  ; 
The  wise  and  the  good,  the  true  and  the  tried. 

Ascend  in  their  chariots  to  heaven. 

'Tis  thus  that  we  feel  while  we  mention  the  name. 

And  tliink  of  the  loss  to  our  college ; 
The  great  and  the  noble,  the  loved  Horace  Mann, 

The  cham])ion  of  wisdom  and  knowledge. 

And  often  we  ask,  as  our  Moses  is  gone. 

If  a  Joshua  lives  in  this  region  ; 
And  can  he  be  had  to  conduct  us  along. 

O'er  the  turbulent  waters  of  Jordan? 

When  the  loved  of  the  earth,  the  great  and  the  good, 

Are  called  from  their  stations  in  Zion, 
'Tis  surely  no  time  in  discouraging  mood, 

To  give  ourselves  up  to  repining. 

The  clouds  may  be  gloomy,  the  rain  falling  fast. 

The  thunders  most  awfully  pealing, 
Yet  God  will  protect  us,  and  we  see  when  it's  past. 

His  love  in  the  tempest  revealing. 


94  SONGS,   HVMXS     AND    POEMS, 

A  man  can  be  found,  I  doubt  not  at  all, 

To  fill  this  i-esponsible  station  ; 
A  man  who  w  ilj  f^ive  satisfaction  to  all. 

And  honor  the  college  and  nntion. 

A  man  of  true  wisdom  and  goodness  combined. 

Wlio  stands  on  the  top-stone  of  learning  ; 
Wlio  really  seems  to  our  people  inclined, 

And  for  tlieir  best  good  has  been  yearning. 

When  such  is  obtained,  and  obtained  he  will  be, 
These  halls  will  be  soon  overflowing 

With  the  youth  of  our  land,  both  the  grave  and  the  gay. 
For  we  liave  the  means  sure  of  knowing. 

Let  our  brother  tlien  rest  in  the  sleep  of  the  grave, 
Baptized  with  the  dew  of  affection  ; 

His  spirit  commend  to  that  being  who  gave, 
'Till  we  meet  in  the  first  resurrection. 

His  widow  and  orphans,  and  the  students  may  come. 

As  the  sun  in  the  west  is  reclining. 
The  myrtle  and  lily  may  plant  on  his  tomb, 

Yet  never  indulge  in  repining. 

THE    STOKM. 

A  storm  has  passed  over  tlie  land, 
A  tempest  has  darkened  the  sky. 

Undaunted  however  we  stand, 

And  shall  till  the  day  that  we  die. 

If  asked  for  the  cause  of  the  storm, 

What  reason  tliere  was  for  the  squall, 

To  be  honest,  and  meaning  no  harm, 
'Twas  just  about  nothing  at  all. 

A  mote  was  in  somebody's  eye — 
A  spot  was  seen  on  the  sun — 

Old  Jealousy  set  up  her  cry, 
And  all  of  lier  votaries  run. 

Our  driftings  most  surely  were  bad — 
An  enemy  lurked  in  the  dark — 

The  faithful  would  soon  be  betrayed. 
Or  eat  by  a  dragon  or  shark. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN    ELLIS.  g^ 

The  tempest,  hovvevev,  is  past, 

Again  the  horizon  is  cU'ar  ; 
Yet  nobody's  hurt  by  the  bhist, 

And  tiie  llowers  of  alfection  appear. 

We  hope  it  may  charity  teach. 

And  wisdom  be  h'arned  by  the  past; 
That  kindness  extending  to  each 

Will  meet  its  reward  at  the  last. 

And  also,  that  envy  and  strife, 

As  oft  in  the  Scripture  is  said  ; 
Will  sap  the  foundations  of  life, 

And  fall  on  the  slanderer's  head. 

My  brethren,  we  ought  to  be  one, 

And  labor  to  benefit  all ; 
United,  we  most  surely  will  stand, 

Divided,  as  surely  will  fall. 

The  measure  to  others  we  give. 

To  us  will  be  measured  again  ; 
And  we  will  surely  receive, 

The  treatment  we  offer  to  them. 

If  kindness  and  love  is  the  rule, 

Forbearance  and  charity  ours. 
The  cup  of  our  bliss  will  be  full, 

( )ur  i)athway  be  scattered  with  flowers. 

OUR    PROSPECTS. 

It  gives  us  joy  without  alloy. 

To  see  the  morning  light ; 
Our  sky  is  clear,  our  sun  appears. 

And  prospects  now  are  bright. 

Young  men  we  see  w'ith  conscience  free, 

Whose  hearts  are  full  of  zeal ; 
With  us  unite  to  bear  the  light. 

And  do  their  Master's  will. 

Witii  book  in  hand  they  boldly  stand, 

The  gospel  now  to  preach  ; 
With  earnest  heart  the  truth  impart. 

To  all  within  their  reach. 


C)6  SOXGS,   HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

Our  Sabbath  schools  with  Scripture  rules, 
Throughout  the  land  are  seen  ; 

The  youth  are  brought  and  early  taught 
To  shun  the  paths  of  sin. 

Our  friends  awake  strong  measures  take, 
To  fill  our  lands  with  schools  ; 

From  party  free  and  bigotry, 
Ana  from  sectarian  rules. 

Our  college  here  redeemed  this  year. 
And  to  the  Christians  given, 

In  this  fair  land  shall  ever  stand, 
And  from  us  ne'er  be  riven. 

Some  in  the  east,  some  in  the  west, 
One  in  the  sunny  south  ; 

With  fountains  pure  of  literature. 
Now  training  up  the  youth. 

Our  papers,  too,  appear  in  view, 

In  majesty  are  drest ; 
Improved  in  tone,  at  least  the  one 

.Belonging  to  the  west. 

Of  this  to-day,  not  much  I'll  say, 
Lest  some  should  think  me  vain  ; 

But  this  is  true,  as  known  to  you. 
It  needed  such  a  change. 


Sometimes  it  liappens  in  sweet  retrospection. 

Events  deep  and  thrilling  appear  to  our  view; 

Our  spirits  arousing  and  giving  direction, 
We  start  off  in  life  with  an  energy  new. 

So  should  I  indulge  in  this  a  few  moments — 
And  call  up  the  past  as  connected  with  me ; 

Speak  of  the  loved,  and  those  sacred  endearments — 
You'll  pardon,  if  vain  you  may  take  me  to  be. 

Ten  years  of  my  childhood  had  scarcely  departed. 

When  death  on  his  pale  horse  appeared  at  our  door: 
I  wept  in  deep  anguish,  I  felt  broken-hearted, 

That  lovely,  dear  mother,  I  knew  was  no  more. 


BY    ELDER    JOHN    EELIS.  07 

When  a  youth  at  nineteen,  I  sought  for  the  Savior, 

And  entered  the  service  of  God  and  the  Lamb; 
Felt  happy  in  God,  yet  watched  well  my  behavior, 

And  preached  my  first  sermon  when  just  twenty-one. 

From  tlien  till  the  present,  I  never  have  faltered — 

But  published  tlie  gospel  steadily  on  ; 
For  twenty-five  years  my  compass  unaltered— 

And  will  be  for  twenty-five  years  to  come. 

The  storms  of  this  life  beat  heavy  upon  me. 

And  often  I  sigh  for  a  season  of  rest. 
Yet,  nothing  discouraged,  tliese  things  do  not  move  me, 

I  wish  to  wear  out  in  the  cause  I  love  best. 

The  church  of  my  choice  I  surely  love  dearly. 

And  never  shall  leave  it  while  a  plank  there  is  left ; 

xA.nd  stronger,  yea  stronger,  my  attachments  are  yearly, 
As  onward  we  move  toward  the  land  of  the  blest. 

And  now  let  me  offer  to  you  in  conclusion 

Reflections  I  have  that  may  benefit  some  : 
And  I  hope  what  I  say  you'll  not  think  a  delusion, 

Remember,  I'm  speaking  just  now  to  the  young. 

As  you  feel  impressed  to  publish  salvation. 

Yet  linger,  perhaps,  almost  fearing  to  go ; 
I  would  say  to  you  surely,  without  hesitation. 

Commence  in  the  work,  the  gospel  trump  b!ow. 

The  fields  are  now  white,  all  ready  for  reaping, 

And  laborers  faithful  are  seemingly  few  ; 
And  spirits  immortal  on  ruin's  brink  sleeping, 

Then,  Watchman,  we  ask,  Oh  !  where  now  ai-e  you? 

"  The  harvest  is  past  and  the  summer  is  ended," 

Will  soon  be  the  wailing  of  spirits  in  woe  ; 
The  day  of  probation  will  then  be  suspended. 

The  soft  gales  of  mercy  no  longer  will  blow. 

Go  enter  the  vineyard — no  longer  delaying — 

Lay  every  excuse  and  temptation  aside  ; 
Though  it  be  in  great  weakness,  trusting  and  praying. 

Go  win  for  our  Master  in  heaven  a  bride. 


g8  SONGS,    HYMNS    AND    POEMS, 

My  speech  now  is  ended,  I  bid  you  adieu, 

And  hope  on  your  journey  you'll  faithful  pursue: 

Go  forth  to  your  labors  when  the  Conference  is  o'er- 
Be  ten  times  as  useful  as  ever  before. 

The  field  is  before  us,  extensive  and  wide, 

The  foe  is  advancing  with  wonderful  stride; 

A  voice  now  is  calling  from  the  deep  haunts  of  woe, 
Ye  Watchmen  of  Zion,  the  gospel  trump  blow. 

Go  save  the  inebriate,  release  the  oppressed. 
Go  say  to  the  weary  in  Jesus  there's  rest ; 

Call  home  the  backslider,  bring  sinners  to  God, 

Encouraging  Christians  now  traveling  the  road. 

Before  we  in  Conference  assemble  again, 

No  doubt  in  the  graveyard  some  will  be  lain  ; 

Yet  we  trust  in  the  Savior  who  for  us  was  given. 
If  faithful  to  God,  we  will  meet  them  in  heaven. 


My  Own  Dear  Native  Home. 


Written  at  the  age  of  eighty. 
I'm  an  exile  and  a  stranger  as  here  on  earth  I  roam. 
And  often  feel  quite  weary,  as  I  have  no  earthly  home  ; 
Yet  know  our  Lord  and  Master  is  fitting  up  a  place 
In  our  Father's  heavenly  mansion,  the  kingdom  of  His  grace ; 
He  said  to  His  disciples,  as  He  was  going  away, 
T(»  fit  up  precious  mansions  for  His  people  in  that  day. 
He  would  come  again  in  glory,  when  the  work  on  earth  was  done, 
And  take  His  weary  children  to  their  immortal  home. 

I  have  preached  the  ancient  gospel  for  sixty  happy  years, 

And  warned  the  careless  sinner  in  earnestness  and  tears ; 

Inviting  all  to  Jesus,  the  aged  and  the  youth, 

And  saw  them  bow  in  pe'"itence  and  thus  obey  the  truth. 

And  often  have  I  labored  in  sunshine  and  in  storm, 

And  felt  the  pangs  of  hunger,  of  cold  neglect,  and  scorn ; 

And  often  been  so  weary  that  I  could  scarcely  stand, 

Yet  knew  that  Christ  v.ould  guide  me  to  my  own  dear  native  laiid. 


BY     ELDER     JOHN     ELLIS.  CJC) 

My  early  friends  have  left  me  for  (heir  immortal  home, 
Have  left  me  sad  and  lonely  to  journey  on  alone  ; 
My  form  is  bent  with  labor,  my  locks  with  age  are  gray. 
My  eyes  are  dim  with  seeing  and  short  my  earthly  stay. 
Yet  God  is  ever  with  me  and  joy  my  heart  doth  swell, 
]\Iy  faith  is  strong  as  ever  as  .Tesus'  love  I  tell ; 
My  hope  is  like  an  anchor  as  by  the  cross  I  stand. 
And  know  I  soon  will  enter  my  own  dear  native  land. 

And  yet  I  wish  to  labor  in  the  vineyard  of  the  l^ord 

And  gather  u[)  the  lost  ones  now  on  the  downward  road  ; 

Assisting  every  Christian  to  press  on  to  the  end. 

And  tell  the  poor  l)acksiider  that  Christ  is  still  his  friend  ; 

And  when  my  toil  is  over,  my  earthly  race  is  run, 

I  hope  to  hear  applaudets  of  "Well  and  faithful  done," 

And  join  the  blood-washed  millions  around  that  great,  white  throne, 

In  that  delightful  country,  my  own  dear  native  home. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  I 

0035521287 


938.6 
EL59 


BRITTLE  DO  NOT 
PHOTOCOPY 


MAY?    1958 


